The European Commission is currently developing an electrification strategy to deliver this vital tool for meeting EU climate targets. One aspect that has been historically overlooked is the contribution of energy efficiency policy in the electrification process.

Up to now, EU governments have mainly put in place energy efficiency policies to reduce energy consumption overall, regardless of their impact on electrification.

RAP authors Marion Santini, Louise Sunderland and Samuel Thomas explain how energy efficiency can play a crucial role in making electrification more affordable and inclusive. They show the growing importance of considering the time and location of energy savings — to maximise the benefits of energy efficiency for electrification — and provide three key recommendations to help decision-makers enhance the impacts of their policies.