Indicator Assessment

Final electricity consumption by sector

Indicator Assessment

Prod-ID: IND-120-en

Also known as: ENER 018

Published 08 Aug 2011 Last modified 11 May 2021

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Topics: Energy

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Final electricity consumption increased rapidly in most economic sectors at an average annual growth of around 1.6% per year over the period 1990-2008. Across the whole period, final electricity consumption grew by 33.4 %. The strongest growth was observed in the service sector (59.2 %), followed by households (40.1 %), industry (17.0 %) and the transport sector (14.0 %). The observed increase is the consequence of both the attractiveness of electricity as an energy carrier and economic growth.

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Final electricity consumption by sector, EU-27

Note: Final electricity consumption by sector, EU-27. Influenced by the liberalisation of the power market, electricity prices decreased during the 1990s but they have started to rise again in the last few years

Data source:

Final Electricity Consumption: Eurostat 2010 (historical data) http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/

(6000 Electrical Energy 101900 Final energy consumption - Transport)

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Average annual growth rate in electricity consumption by sector, 1990-2008 and 2007-2008, EU-27

Note: Since 1990, in the EU-27 the electricity consumption increased in the service sector (including agriculture) at an annual growth rate of 2.6 %. In total, the electricity consumption increased by 59.2 % between 1990 and 2008. The main reasons for increased electricity consumption in the service sector were the sustained growth of this sector throughout the EU, the increased use of electrical appliances (such as air conditioning, lighting or IT equipment) and the penetration of new electrical devices

Data source:

Final Electricity Consumption: Eurostat 2010 (historical data) http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/

(6000 Electrical Energy 101800 Final energy consumption - Industry)

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Between 1990 and 2008, total electricity consumption increased by 33.4 %. The average annual growth rate of final electricity consumption across the EU-27 was 1.6 % in this period. The share of electricity in final energy consumption also rose from 17.2 % in 1990 to 20.9 % in 2008. Electricity is an attractive energy carrier due to its flexibility of use and the importance placed by consumers on the variety of energy services it provides. Furthermore, influenced by the liberalisation of the power market, electricity prices decreased during the 1990s but they have started to rise again in the last few years (see ENER31 and Figure 1).
In non-EU EEA countries, total electricity consumption increased by 72.2 % between 1990 and 2008. The average annual growth rate of final electricity consumption across these countries was 3.1 %, considerably larger than in the EU-27. This high rate was mainly caused by Turkey, with an average annual growth rate of 7.3 % due to the rapid transition to a modernised economy with the associated increase in electricity.

Since 1990, in the EU-27 the electricity consumption increased in the service sector (including agriculture) at an annual growth rate of 2.6 %. In total, the electricity consumption increased by 59.2 % between 1990 and 2008. The main reasons for increased electricity consumption in the service sector were the sustained growth of this sector throughout the EU, the increased use of electrical appliances (such as air conditioning, lighting or IT equipment) and the penetration of new electrical devices (see Figure 2). Because small and medium sized enterprises dominate the service sector and in general the European economic landscape (99% of businesses are SMEs in Europe), it is important to look at their energy consumption patterns. In 2007, only 4% of SMEs had in place comprehensive mechanisms for energy efficiency and only 30% of SMEs were applying basic energy conservation measures (2007 SME Observatory). In non-EU EEA countries, electricity consumption in the service sector more than doubled in this period, with a total growth of 113.2 %, and an annual growth rate of 4.3 %. The strongest growth was observed in Turkey, where total electricity use more than quadrupled in this period, with an average annual growth rate of 9.3 % (see Figure 2).

Between 1990 and 2008, the electricity consumption in the household sector in EU-27 grew by 40.1 %, at an average annual rate of 1.9 %. This trend can be explained by rising incomes, higher living standards, a shift towards smaller households and larger dwellings and a growing demand for electrical appliances. In 2008 total household final electricity consumption was 817 TWh (representing 28.6 % of final energy consumption across a total of almost 200 million households in the EU-27). In non-EU EEA countries, electricity consumption in the household sector grew by 70.2 % in this period, an average annual growth rate of 3.0 %. Improvements in efficiency of large electrical appliances (leading to a decrease in average specific consumption of 1.5 % per year in the case of refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, dishwashers, TVs and dryers) were to a large extent offset by the use, numbers and size of large appliances as well as a growing number of smaller appliances such as videos and computers (Enerdata et al, 2003). In 2008, the household electricity consumption was increased by 1.8 % compared to 2007. However some countries such as Belgium (-8.6%), Portugal (-3.0 %), Sweden (-1.8 %), Slovakia (-1.54 %), Finland (-1.50%), Norway (-1.25%) and Germany (-0.43%) reduced their consumption as a result of a combination of mild winter weather and high electricity prices.

Between 1990 and 2008, the electricity consumption in the industry sector grew by 17% in the EU-27, at an average annual rate of 0.9 %, hence slower than the services and household sectors. Industry electricity consumption in the New Member States fell sharply during the early 1990s during the process of economic restructuring. Over the period 1990-2008, in these countries final electricity consumption in industry increased on average by 2.2%. There is a significant variation between the EU-27 Member States. For example, in Lithuania and Latvia between 1990 and 2008 the average annual consumption in the industrial sector decreased by over 3 %, while in Cyprus and Ireland it increased by 3.7 and 3.3 % respectively. During the same period non-EU EEA countries, electricity consumption in the industry sector increased by 47.6 %, an average annual growth rate of 2.2 %.

The transport sector is only responsible for around 2.5 % of total electricity consumption in EU-27. Between 1990 and 2008, final electricity consumption in this sector grew by 14.0 %, at an average annual rate of 0.7 %. This increase can mainly be attributed to growing consumption in the EU-15, due to increased electrification of Europe’s railways (especially in France and the United Kingdom). The trend in recent years for the new Member States was opposite to that of the EU-15. Due to lower usage of trains and other domestic public transport and an increase in road and air transport, a gradual decrease in electricity consumed for transport purposes was observed in the new Member States (average annual increase between 1990 and 2008 of 3.1 %). Electricity consumption for transportation in these countries decreased by 3.6 % in 2007-2008. Between 2007 and 2008, the final electricity consumption in transport increased by 1.4% across the EU-27 countries, with the strongest growth observed in France and Denmark with over 6% growth (see Figure 2). In the non-EU EEA countries, electricity consumption in the transport sector increased by 25.5 % from 1990-2008, an annual growth rate of 1.3 %.

Average annual percentage change in final electricity consumption, EU-27 1990-2008

Note: Most countries in the EU-27 experienced an overall increase in electricity consumption over the period from 1990 to 2008, except for Lithuania, Latvia, Romania and Bulgaria. During this period, the average annual growth rate of electricity consumption varied greatly by country, ranging from less than 1 % per year in Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Hungary, Slovakia and Estonia to over 4 % in Malta, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Iceland, Cyprus and Turkey. The decrease or low growth in electricity consumption in the new Member States was a combined result of economic restructuring in the 1990s and a decrease or low growth of the total population in those countries

Data source:

Final Electricity Consumption: Eurostat 2010 (historical data) http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/

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Electricity consumption per capita (in kWh/cap) in 2008

Note: The average electricity use per capita in the EU-27 is over 2.3 times the global average and 2.8 times that of China. Only Luxembourg, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland are using more electricity per capita than in the United States. The rest of the EU-27 is well below the US

Data source:

Final Electricity Consumption: Eurostat 2010 (historical data) http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/

IEA Data Services, http://data.iea.org/IEASTORE/DEFAULT.ASP

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Most countries in the EU-27 experienced an overall increase in electricity consumption over the period from 1990 to 2008, except for Lithuania, Latvia, Romania and Bulgaria. During this period, the average annual growth rate of electricity consumption varied greatly by country, ranging from less than 1 % per year in Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Hungary, Slovakia and Estonia to over 4 % in Malta, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Iceland, Cyprus and Turkey. The decrease or low growth in electricity consumption in the new Member States was a combined result of economic restructuring in the 1990s and a decrease or low growth of the total population in those countries (see Figure 3).
Electricity consumption per capita also varies greatly between countries, with the lowest per capita consumption occurring in some new Member States, including Romania, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Hungary and Bulgaria. Although the use of air conditioning in southern European countries contributes to a large increase in electricity consumption during the summer months, the highest consumption per capita was in the northern-most countries, (Iceland, Norway, Finland and Sweden), where electrical heating based on low-cost electricity produced by hydropower meets a large part of the overall heating requirements (see Figure 4).
The average electricity use per capita in the EU-27 is over 2.3 times the global average and 2.8 times that of China. Only Luxembourg, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland are using more electricity per capita than in the United States. The rest of the EU-27 is well below the US (see Figure 4).

Supporting information

Indicator definition

Final electricity consumption covers electricity supplied to the final consumer's door for all energy uses, it does not include own use by electricity producers or transmission and distribution losses. It is calculated as the sum of final electricity consumption from all sectors. These are disaggregated to cover industry, transport, households, services (including agriculture and other sectors).

Units

Final electricity consumption is measured in terawatt hours (TWh).

Rationale

Justification for indicator selection

The indicator monitors progress in reducing electricity consumption. Due to important energy losses incurred in both the production (particularly from conventional thermal and nuclear power plants) and transport of electricity, the rise in electricity consumption is of particular concern for the environment. However, an increase of electricity consumption in the transport sector might signal a positive trend of modal shift towards rail transport or higher penetration of electric vehicles. In general, the associated environmental impacts will depend on the amount of electricity consumed as well as the fuel mix, the technology employed (its efficiency) and the use of abatement technologies.

Scientific references

Policy context and targets

Context description

Environmental context

Reducing electricity consumption is a robust way to lower the environmental impacts of electricity generation. This may result from reducing the electricity consumption for lighting, appliances and information and communication technology equipment, or by using electricity in a more efficient way, or from a combination of the two. In the transport sector, however, an increase in electricity consumption might signal a positive trend of modal shift towards rail transport or a higher penetration of electric vehicles.

Nevertheless, the type and extent of energy-related pressures on the environment depends not only on the amount of electricity consumed (and thus generated and/or avoided), but also on the fuels used for electricity generation, which are predominantly still fossil fuels (see ENER 27 for more information about electricity production by fuel and its impacts) and how the electricity is produced (see ENER 19 on efficiency of conventional thermal electricity generation, ENER 20 on penetration of combined heat and power and ENER 06 on the extent to which pollution abatement technologies are used) .

The switch from other end-use fuels towards electricity increases the environmental pressure in many cases, as around three units of energy are needed to produce one unit of electricity, due to efficiency losses in electricity generation and transmission. However, if the electricity is generated by low emission technologies like renewables, such a switch could also significantly reduce the environmental consequences of electricity production while, at the same time, improving the security of energy supply.

Policy context

Council adopted on 6 April 2009 the climate-energy legislative package containing measures to fight climate change and promote renewable energy. This package is designed to achieve the EU's overall environmental target of a 20 % reduction in greenhouse gases and a 20 % share of renewable energy in the EU's total energy consumption by 2020.The climate action and renewable energy (CARE) package includes the following main policy documents

Directive 2009/29/ec of the European parliament and of the Council amending directive 2003/87/ec so as to improve and extend the greenhouse gas emission allowance trading scheme of the community
Directive 2009/31/ec of the European parliament and of the Council on the geological storage of carbon dioxide
Directive 2009/28/ec of the European parliament and of the Council on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources
Community guidelines on state aid for environmental protection (2008/c 82/01)
Directive 2008/101/ec of the European parliament and of the Council amending directive 2003/87/ec so as to include aviation activities in the scheme for greenhouse gas Emission allowance trading within the community
Regulation (ec) no 443/2009 of the European parliament and of the Council setting emission performance standards for new passenger cars as part of the community’s integrated approach to reduce CO₂emissions from light-duty vehicles

Second Strategic Energy Review; COM(2008) 781 final.Strategic review on short, medium and long term targets on EU energy security.

Eco-Design Directive; COM(2008) 778 final/2.Directive on intensification of existing regulation on energy-efficiency of products.

Targets

No targets have been specified

Methodology

Methodology for indicator calculation

Average annual rate of growth calculated using: [(last year/base year) ^ (1/number of years) –1]*100Electricity consumption per capita calculated by dividing final electricity consumption by population for each country (demo_pjan).
The coding (used in the Eurostat New Cronos database) and specific components of the indicator (in relation to the product ‘6000 - electrical energy’) are:
Numerator: final electricity consumption industry 101800 + final electricity consumption transport 101900 + final electricity consumption households 102010 + final electricity consumption services/agriculture calculated as (final electricity consumption households/services 102000 - final electricity consumption households 102010).
Only if needed for shares; Denominator: (total) final electricity consumption 101700.
For non-EEA members data from the IEA is used:
Report ‘Electricity Information’, table ‘World, Electricity/Heat Supply and Consumption’, product ‘Electricity (GWh)’, balance (‘Observed Consumption – Total Energy Sector’). Report ‘World Energy Balances’, table ‘World Indicators’, flow ‘Population (millions)’.

Methodology for gap filling

No methodology for gap filling has been specified. Probably this info has been added together with indicator calculation.

Methodology references

No methodology references available.

Uncertainties

Methodology uncertainty

Any cross-country comparison of the distribution of electricity consumption between sectors will have to be accompanied by a relevant measure of the importance of the sector in the economy, as the sectoral shares also depends on the country's economic circumstances. Because the focus is on the reduction of electricity consumption and not on the sectoral redistribution of such consumption, the trends in the absolute values (in TWh) should be preferred as a more meaningful indicator of progress. However, even if the same sectors in two countries are equally important to the economy, the gross (primary) consumption of energy needed to generate the electricity before it reaches the final user might draw from energy sources that pollute the environment in different ways. Thus, from an environmental point of view, the final electricity consumption of a sector should be analysed in that broader context.
The sectoral breakdown of electricity consumption includes industry, transport, households, services, agriculture, fisheries and other sectors.

Geographical coverage:
The Agency had 32 member countries at the time of writing of this fact sheet. These are the 27 European Union Member States and Turkey, plus Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
No energy data available for Liechtenstein or Iceland.
Data for World, United States, China, India, Russia, the Middle East and Africa.

Methodology and frequency of data collection:
Data collected annually.
Eurostat metadata for energy statistics http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/statistics/metadata

Data sets uncertainty

Officially reported data, updated annually. No obvious weaknesses.
Data have been traditionally compiled by Eurostat through the annual Joint Questionnaires, shared by Eurostat and the International Energy Agency, following a well established and harmonised methodology. Methodological information on the annual Joint Questionnaires and data compilation can be found in Eurostat's web page for metadata on energy statistics. http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/statistics/metadata See also information related to the Energy Statistics Regulation http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/energy/introduction

Rationale uncertainty

No uncertainty has been specified

Data sources

Energy statistics (Eurostat)
provided by Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat)
Electricity Consumption (dataset URL is not available)
provided by International Energy Agency (IEA)

Other info

DPSIR: Driving force
Typology: Descriptive indicator (Type A - What is happening to the environment and to humans?)

Indicator codes

ENER 018

EEA Contact Info info@eea.europa.eu

Permalinks

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Older versions

14 Sep 2010 - Final electricity consumption by sector

05 Jul 2010 - Final electricity consumption by sector

27 Nov 2008 - EN18 Electricity Consumption

22 May 2007 - EN18 Electricity Consumption

Geographic coverage

Austria Belgium Bulgaria Cyprus Czechia Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey United Kingdom

Temporal coverage

1990-2008

For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/indicators/final-electricity-consumption-by-sector/final-electricity-consumption-by-sector-2 or scan the QR code.

PDF generated on 19 Apr 2024, 06:49 AM

Dates

First draft created:

03 Aug 2011, 10:47 AM

Publish date:

08 Aug 2011, 05:20 PM

Last modified:

11 May 2021, 11:44 AM

Topics

Topics: Energy