Pressing Matters

Schreiber, Elliott

doi:10.7591/cornell/9780801451782.003.0006

Cited by 1 publication

(2 citation statements)

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“…The findings from our bottom-up analysis of Icelandic EFs underscore the urgent need for policy interventions that target both the housing and transportation sectors. National energy companies and institutions have raised concerns regarding both how the electricity and district heating networks are running at near full capacity [29,30], driven by increased population, lower housing densities (fewer people per m 2 of living facilities), and high energy use per person. Further, due to the renewable nature of this energy supply and a sprawled urban form in Reykjavik, transport has been found to be the leading domain of carbon emissions for Icelandic households, accounting for ~38% of Icelandic consumptionbased carbon footprints [28].…”

Section: Policy Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, while Iceland's stationary energy supply is almost entirely derived from renewable sources, its carbon footprint is among the highest globally [28]. Further, due to the provision of a seemingly limitless supply of renewable energy, high energy demand from households and limited capacity have led to national energy companies raising the alarm regarding electricity and heating network capacities [29,30].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Consumption-Based Energy Footprints in Iceland: High and Equally Distributed

Einarsdóttir,

tho Pesch,

Dillman

et al. 2024

Energies

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With the urgent global need to limit warming to 2 °C as well as a localized need in our case study to address rising energy demand amid electrical and thermal network limitations, a critical examination of demand-side energy reductions and the concept of energy sufficiency is needed. This paper contributes to the sparse literature on bottom-up analysis by utilizing Iceland—a leader in renewable energy generation—as a case study to explore the socio-economic factors influencing energy footprints. Our findings reveal significant energy footprints across various consumption domains, particularly housing and mobility, influenced by income levels, urbanization, and lifestyle choices. The study highlights the paradox of a high renewable energy supply leading to potential misconceptions regarding abundant and low-cost energy, resulting in substantial energy consumption-related environmental impacts. Using detailed household consumption survey data, this research provides insights crucial for developing sustainable energy policies that not only target technological advancements but also address the need for a reduction in energy demand and a shift towards energy sufficiency. This work marks a contribution to the literature through the provision of a case study of low income inequality and high energy footprints in a highly renewable energy system context. Further, this work is useful for Icelandic and international policymakers to understand in such high-demand contexts which consumption domains would be most relevant for sufficiency policies. This comprehensive analysis opens pathways for future research to further explore the intersections of energy consumption, socio-economic factors, and well-being, offering a nuanced understanding necessary for crafting sufficiency and demand-side policies aimed at a sustainable energy future.

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Section: Policy Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%