Featured in Building resilience – 04-2026

Reframing energy

In a new report, energy think tank Ember sets out an alternative way to look at the energy system, which it argues better takes into account the electrification of various industry sectors, along with other changes shaping the future of the energy system. pv magazine spoke with Ember Principal Daan Walter about why taking the perspective of a consumer rather than a supplier offers a better understanding of the energy system and its changing shape.

By

Mark Hutchins

02 Apr 2026

Image shows an offshore oil platform with flare burning.

Measuring the total amount of energy contained in a barrel of oil or other fossil fuels is misleading, according to Ember, due to the inherent inefficiency of having to first generate heat. | Image: Matt Brown/Unsplash

Unlike how many other markets and supply chains are monitored, analysts and observers in the energy space tend to look at things from the perspective of supply. They talk in terms of metric tons of coal and barrels of oil, rather than starting with demand for the end product – usable energy. “The way that …

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