Historical evolution of energy efficiency: definition, evaluation, and concepts

The article analyzes the concept, evaluation and reasons for emerging theoretical ideas in energy efficiency in the historical aspect. High importance for society of energy resources and crisis phenomena in the hydrocarbon market in the 20th century were the reasons for emerging and further developing of the concept of energy security in the policy of oil-importing countries which was subsequently transformed into a long-term government policy of energy efficiency improvement. The evolution of the efficiency valuation tool indicates that it becomes an accumulative outcome reflecting the effectiveness of public policy measures in the area of diversification of energy supply sources and transition to a green economy. The reasons for speculating on the idea of energy efficiency by Western importing countries are explained from the perspective of the resource theory of system organization of economy. Despite the processes of globalization and liberalization existing in the world, the economies of Western countries are focused on the formation of «concentration of energy resources in one country», and their goal is to gain economic leadership in disposable resources. Definitions of energy conservation and energy efficiency were formulated. Energy conservation is the process of managing energy loss that has not yet occurred. Energy efficiency characterizes such a state of the economic system that allows reducing not yet arisen energy loss in a certain economic activity in order to achieve a given socio-­economic result under constraints. Such constraints can be availability of energy sources, energy security, climatic conditions etc.