Energy efficiency is a popular policy strategy to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The concept of energy efficiency is relatively simple – to use less energy for the same level of output. However, complexities emerge when applying efficiency concepts to real world processes and practices of energy consumption: subjective judgments when defining, measuring and applying energy efficiency principles, how efficiency is conceptualized and applied in policy, and how policy is designed and implemented, given social and environmental tradeoffs. This article traces the evolution of EU energy efficiency policy over seven decades to better understand underlying values and tradeoffs from a sociological perspective. Using insights from critical policy studies, the article reveals how certain values are reflected in how energy efficiency is defined and measured over time. It highlights how the conceptualization of energy efficiency has been used as an effective rhetorical device – and how some potentially relevant concepts and issues get sidelined in favor of others. The analysis illustrates how narrow conceptualizations of energy efficiency has put blinders on wider environmental and social issues. This points to the need for a more nuanced policy approach that takes into account the complexities and uncertainties of societal and policy challenges. The findings point to the need for energy efficiency policy that pays closer attention to citizens’ views and collective solutions in order to formulate more effective policy to reduce energy consumption.

能源效率是减少能源消耗和温室气体排放的流行政策策略。能源效率的概念相对简单——在相同水平的产出下使用更少的能源。然而，当将效率概念应用于现实世界的能源消耗过程和实践时，就会出现复杂性：定义、衡量和应用能源效率原则时的主观判断，如何在政策中概念化和应用效率，以及如何在考虑到社会和环境的情况下设计和实施政策。环境权衡。本文追溯了欧盟能源效率政策七十年来的演变，以便从社会学的角度更好地理解潜在的价值观和权衡。本文利用关键政策研究的见解，揭示了某些价值观如何随着时间的推移定义和衡量能源效率。它强调了能源效率的概念化如何被用作有效的修辞手段，以及一些潜在相关的概念和问题如何被其他概念和问题所取代。该分析说明了能源效率的狭隘概念如何蒙蔽了更广泛的环境和社会问题。这表明需要采取更细致的政策方法，考虑到社会和政策挑战的复杂性和不确定性。研究结果表明，能源效率政策需要更加关注公民的意见和集体解决方案，以便制定更有效的政策来减少能源消耗。