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Energy efficiency and energy consumption in the household sector (ENER 022) - Assessment published Aug 2011
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Over the period 1990-2008, energy efficiency in the household sector increased by 19% in EU-27 countries, or 1.1%/year, driven by the diffusion of more efficient buildings, space heating technologies and electrical appliances. Over the same period, the final energy consumption of households increased by about 13%, at an annual average rate of 0.7%. Electricity consumption grew much faster at an annual growth rate of 1.9%. Per capita household energy consumption in EU-27 and EEA countries only slightly increased over the period (0.4%/year). Since the year 2005 however, energy consumption per capita in the household sector decreased in almost all countries. The energy consumption of households is influenced mainly by two opposite drivers. Efficiency improvements in space heating and large electrical appliances reduces the consumption while increasing size of dwellings and increased use of electrical appliances and central heating contribute to increase the consumption and offset part of the energy efficiency benefits. CO2 emissions per dwelling were 24% below their 1990 level in 2008, mainly because of CO2 savings resulting from switches to fuel with a lower CO2 content.
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Energy efficiency and energy consumption in the household sector
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Energy intensity in the service sector (ENER 024) - Assessment published Sep 2011
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Over the period 1997-2008, the energy intensity (energy consumption per unit of value added) in the service sector decreased in the EU-27 by 1.2 %/year on average, showing a relative decoupling between energy consumption and activity (value added). Over the period 1990-2008, per capita energy consumption in the service sector increased by 16% in the EU-27 and 19% in EEA countries, at annual growth rates of 0.8 and 1% respectively, with very different trends across member states. Over the period 1997-2008, the electricity consumption per employee in EU-27 increased by 12%, at an annual growth rate of 1%, due to increased use of air conditioning in southern countries and of IT and other electrical equipment. This led to an increase in the electricity intensity of the service sector in EU-27 (electricity consumption per unit of value added) of 3% over the same period of time, at an annual growth rate of 0.3%. Rationale The energy consumption in the service sector consists mainly of energy consumption in buildings. The indicator tracks progress made in reducing the energy consumption per unit of activity (measured in terms of value added or number of employees) in the service sector in EU-27. Reducing the energy intensity of the service sector (as defined above), will have a positive impact on the environment due to reduced environmental pressures associated with the production of the energy input. The indicator is complementary to ENER 21.
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Energy intensity in the service sector
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APE_F02: Emissions of acidifying substances - outlook from WBCSD (Outlook 018) - Assessment published Jun 2007
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In developed countries efforts have been underway for decades to reduce acidifying substances (NOx). There is a progress in reducing total NOx. Emissions per vehicle kilometer for light-duty vehicles have been substantially reduced. But growth in transport activity and problems in controlling in-use emissions have tended to offset some of the hoped-for improvements. The situation regarding acidifying substances in the transition countries (EECCA and SEE) (especially its rapidly-growing urbanized areas) is somewhat different. Although NOx is expected to be reduced it will not happen as easily or as quickly as desired.
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APE_F02: Emissions of acidifying substances - outlook from WBCSD
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Combined heat and power (CHP) (ENER 020) - Assessment published Sep 2010
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The share of electricity produced from combined heat and power (CHP) in the EU-27 remained the same between 2006 and 2007 at 10.9%, despite strong policy support to promote the technique in many Member States. High gas prices and relatively low electricity prices reduced the competitiveness of gas-fired CHP-plants. Greater incentives will be needed to reach the EU-15 indicative target of 18 % of CHP electricity in gross electricity production by 2010 (currently 10.2% of total gross electricity production in EU-15). In the new Member States the share of CHP in electricity production is 15.0% of total gross electricity production in these countries, approximately 1.5 times that in the EU-15.
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Combined heat and power (CHP)
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EEA-32 Sulphur dioxide SO2 emissions (APE 001) - Assessment published Feb 2010
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EEA-32 emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) have decreased by 69% between 1990 and 2007. In 2007, the most significant source of SO 2 emissions was the energy industries sector (69%), followed by emissions occurring from 'Other (Non Energy)' (20%) and industrial energy use (12%). The reduction in emissions since 1990 has been achieved as a result of a combination of measures, including fuel-switching in energy-related sectors away from high sulphur-containing solid and liquid fuels to low sulphur fuels such as natural gas, the fitting of flue gas desulphurisation abatement technology in industrial facilities and the impact of European Community directives relating to the sulphur content of certain liquid fuels. Seventeen of the EU-27 Member States have already reduced their national SO 2 emissions below the level of the emission ceilings set in the National Emission Ceilings Directive (NECD), while a number of others are close to meeting their ceilings. However, a small number of Member States still need to make significant further reductions in order to meet their respective ceilings under the NECD. Environmental context: Sulphur dioxide is emitted when fuels containing sulphur are combusted. It is a pollutant which contributes to acid deposition which in turn can lead to potential changes occurring in soil and water quality. The subsequent impacts of acid deposition can be significant, including adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems in rivers and lakes and damage to forests, crops and other vegetation. SO 2 emissions also contribute to formation of particulate matter in the atmosphere, an important air pollutant in terms of its adverse impact on human health.
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EEA-32 Sulphur dioxide SO2 emissions
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Efficiency of conventional thermal electricity generation (ENER 019) - Assessment published Sep 2010
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The
efficiency of electricity and heat production from conventional thermal power and
district heating plants improved steadily from 43.5% in 1990 to 49.0% in 2006,
but decreased to 48.3% in 2007 because of lower heat production. The improvement
until 2006 was due to the closure of old inefficient plants, improvements in
existing technologies, often combined with a switch from coal power plants to
more efficient combined cycle gas-turbines. The environmental benefits
resulting from the increase in efficiency of the conventional thermal
electricity and heat production (including biomass were offset by the rapid
growth in fossil-fuel based (oil, gas, coal & lignite) electricity
production (30.0% in the period 1990-2007).
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Efficiency of conventional thermal electricity generation
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Electricity production by fuel (ENER 027) - Assessment published Sep 2010
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Fossil fuels
and nuclear energy continue to dominate the fuel mix for electricity production
in EU-27. In
2007, the share in total gross electricity production of the electricity
generated from fossil fuels was 55.4 %, and of the electricity generated from
nuclear was 27.9 %. By comparison, the electricity generated from renewable
sources was 15.7% (in 2007). The total electricity production increased
significantly by 35.0 % since 1990, thus offsetting some of the emissions
reductions achieved due to fuel switching from solid fuels to natural gas.
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Electricity production by fuel
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Energy efficiency in transformation (ENER 011) - Assessment published Sep 2010
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In 2007 only 70.4 % of the total primary energy consumption in the EU reached the end users. Transformation and distribution losses have increased slightly since1990, from 29.1 % in 1990 to 29.6 % in 2007. About 5 % represented the energy-sector's own consumption of energy. An increase of the conversion efficiency in power plants has been compensated by a sharp growth in electricity consumption.
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Energy efficiency in transformation
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Emission intensity of public conventional thermal power electricity and heat production (ENER 008) - Assessment published Jan 2011
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The emissions and emissions intensity of carbon
dioxide (CO 2 ), sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) and nitrogen oxides
(NO x ) from public conventional thermal power plants has decreased
substantially since 1990, particularly in the case of SO 2 and NO x .
This is primarily due to a decline in the use of coal, and replacement of old,
inefficient coal plant as well as the use of abatement techniques. However,
since 2000 a rise in the coal-fired electricity production has slowed the
decline in emissions intensity. Rising overall electricity consumption has also
acted to partly offset the environmental benefits from improvements in
emissions intensity.
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Emission intensity of public conventional thermal power electricity and heat production
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Emissions from public electricity and heat production - explanatory indicators (ENER 009) (ENER 009) - Assessment published Jan 2011
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Between 1990 and 2007, EEA32 emissions of sulphur
dioxide (SO 2 ) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) from public electricity and
heat production fell despite a 32% increase in the amount of electricity and
heat produced. Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions increased by 0.8% from
the 1990 baseline, as a result of fuel switching and efficiency improvements.
SO 2 emissions fell by 62%, due mainly to abatement techniques, use
of low-sulphur fuels, and fossil fuel switching. NOx emissions fell by 39%,
primarily due to abatement techniques. Some emissions have risen in recent
years due to increased utilisation of existing coal plant with higher emissions
per unit of output.
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Emissions from public electricity and heat production - explanatory indicators (ENER 009)
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