Example
Switching off unused lighting can save electricity.
The catch
Conservation and efficiency can overlap but describe different routes.
Related terms
Electrification, Energy efficiency, Energy storage, Fossil fuel, Heat pump, Renewable energy
In more depth
Energy conservation, explained.
Energy conservation works fastest on the biggest loads, which for most households means heating, cooling and travel. Turning a thermostat down slightly, heating only occupied rooms or replacing some car trips with walking saves more than a house full of switched-off chargers. When gas prices spiked across Europe in recent years, demand fell quickly as households turned down heating and industry cut use, though part of that fall came from lost output.
The IPCC discusses the same idea under sufficiency, avoiding demand for energy and materials while still meeting people's needs, as part of demand-side mitigation. Conservation also pairs naturally with energy efficiency, since an efficient boiler set to a lower temperature saves on both counts.