"The most environmentally-friendly and cheapest kilowatt hour is the one we do not use." Germany’s government is using this principle to promote its national plan of action for energy efficiency (NAPE). In addition to expanding renewables, energy efficiency is the "second pillar" of the energy transformation. The International Energy Agency (IEA) even views energy efficiency as “the strongest lever by far to avoid carbon dioxide emissions” – even over replacing fossil fuels with renewable forms of energy.

The goal of the German government is to reduce primary energy consumption by 2020 by 20 percent and 50 percent by 2015, compared to 2008 levels. The latest progress report on monitoring the energy transition sees Germany "well on the way" to meeting this objective. Germany was crowned the world leader in energy efficiency by the US think tank American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) in 2014. The Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI) on the other had sees Great Britain, the Netherlands and several Central and Eastern European member states as front runners in energy efficiency progress in Europe.

The USA is also pursuing ambitious goals. The US government has set a target to double energy productivity in the country by 2030. At HANNOVER MESSE 2016 the USA, this year’s Partner Country, also has energy efficiency as a focal point of its exhibition. In the corresponding area in Hall 27 the Alliance to Save Energy (ASE) will showcase the importance placed on this goal in the USA. The Alliance supports the development and use of energy efficient products, technologies and services. "Energy efficiency enables us to achieve more using less energy," states the ASE.

Numerous organizations and associations are presenting their support programs at Energy . The UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization) will be there with a stand in Hall 27 and a presentation at the Forum. The German Energy Agency (dena) is participating in the EnergyEfficiencyCenter, which shows trade visitors potential ways they can save energy – especially in terms of lighting, process heat, ventilation engineering, waste heat utilization, and in heat supply and cooling systems.

In addition to the EnergyEfficiencyCenter one can also find corresponding services at the energy efficiency area. Right next door in Hall 27 the joint pavilion Decentralized Energy Supply promotes synergy effects. Among other things, it showcases block-type thermal power stations, trigeneration installations, and wind and solar plants.

The daily lecture program at the EnergyEfficiencyCenter forum is organized by partners such as the German Corporate Initiative for Energy Efficiency (DENEFF), Germany Trade & Invest and the ZVEI ESCO Forum. Experts will give accounts of best-practice cases and discuss energy efficiency in the industrial sector during panel discussions. On Wednesday during the trade show week the ESCO Forum is organizing a day for energy services and contracting – from the point of view of the ZVEI consortium this has the potential to enhance efficiency up to 30 percent. On the following day DENEFF is directing events.