The need to link energy efficiency indicators to related policies - A practical experience based on 20 years of facts and trends in France (1973-1993)

The evaluation of environmental and energy efficiency policy is a priority for a public agency such as ADEME which is responsible for implementing policy decisions in these domains, The breadth and variety of public instruments used and the availability of statistics make the experience acquired in France a good subject for the application of the methodology and interpretation of techno-economic energy efficiency indicators (EEIs), Using over 200 explanatory EEIs (the 'techno-economic effects'), we have evaluated and characterized the sectoral trends in energy efficiency over 20 years (1973-1993), in particular as a function of the allocation of the 60 billion francs of public funds, while pointing out the methodological limitations, Final demand, responding to socio-economic pressures alone, should have risen by 47 Mtoe (Million ton oil equivalent), However, over the same period, due to energy management policy resulting from government efforts and market forces, savings of 33 Mtoe were achieved, the equivalent of 25% of the analysed final demand in 1993, It is also observed that the repercussions of the oil price countershock have not entirely receded, Although each instrument has shown some degree of efficacy, it seems that the optimal solution involves a combination of these instruments, with variations according to the sector and price context. (C) 1997 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.