International. The most recent report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) highlighted that the energy efficiency market around the world attracted investments in excess of US$300 billion in 2011, on par with global investments in renewable energy or fossil fuel power generation.
"Energy efficiency has been called a 'hidden fuel', yet it is hidden from the naked eye. In fact, the global investment grade in energy efficiency and the resulting energy savings are so massive that they raise the question: Is energy efficiency not just a hidden fuel but the world's first fuel?" said Maria van der Hoeven, Executive Director of the IEA.
The "Energy Efficiency Market Report" says that during the period 2005-2010, efficiency measures saved energy equivalent to US$420 billion in oil in a group of 11 IEA member countries. If it weren't for energy efficiency measures in these countries, they would be consuming, and paying, almost two-thirds more energy than they currently consume. In addition, in 2010, in those countries, energy savings from the efficiency measures implemented exceeded the output of any other individual fuel source.
Finally, the report notes that two factors have driven the recent growth of the energy efficiency market: effective policies and the high price of energy.
