Assessment of the potentials for greenhouse gas emissions reductions and renewable energy technology application in the Austrian residential buildings sector with a special focus on policy issues

摘要

Big potentials for reductions of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions could be realised by improving the thermal quality of the residential building stock and by introducing renewable energy technologies in this sector. A simulation model has been developed by the authors to assess the impacts of three optimisation objectives on technology deployment, GHGemissions and energy consumption for the energy services space and water heating in the Austrian residential buildings sector in a dynamic perspective until 2020. The three chosen objectives are: minimise monetary costs, minimise societal costs (= monetary + external costs), minimise life-cycle GHG-emissions. Under a ?baseline-scenario“ cumulated reductions of GHG-emissions per year for existing buildings range from 33% (minimise monetary costs) to 52% (minimise life-cycle GHGemissions) when comparing 2020 with 2002. Significant differences concerning application of renewable energy technologies result as well. Variations of developments of energy prices and effects of energy policy measures like investment subsidies are discussed. Investment subsidies could trigger societally beneficial effects but the efficiency regarding the amount of spent public money has to be considered.