Energy consumption

• The South West had the third highest with 4,481 kWh, which was almost 7% higher than the national average
• Between 2005 and 2008, average domestic consumption per consumer in the South West declined by 10%, slightly higher than the national average of 9%
• Between 2005 and 2008 average commercial and industrial consumption in the South West declined by 7%, from 4,985 to 4,481 kWh, four percentage points higher than the national average of -3%
 

Energy is essential in almost every aspect of our lives and the amount that we use is increasing, mainly because changes in lifestyle. This is expected to continue and our energy demands could increase household carbon emissions up to 22% by 2010. Defra estimate that energy use in the home is responsible for 25% if the UK's carbon dioxide emissions.

Most of our energy comes from fossil fuels and nuclear power in the UK, which poses two long-term challenges:

• tackling climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions both within the UK and abroad
• ensuring secure, clean and affordable energy as we become increasingly dependent on imported fuel

To avoid the worst effects of climate change, we all need to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and switch to low carbon alternatives.  The Government’s current energy policy was set out in the Energy White Paper of May 2007 and the Energy Review Report in 2006.

Research into forecasting the region’s expected electricity demand in 2020 has looked at two possible scenarios. Assuming the continuation of the government’s climate change programme and energy measures, the region’s energy demand could increase by 15% by 2020. However, if all the savings forecast in the Energy White Paper are met, regional energy demand could decrease by over 11% (GOSW & SW Regional Assembly).

The Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has developed a suite of regional and local authority based energy consumption data, covering electricity, gas, road transport fuels, residual fuels and total energy consumption. Data for 2005 and 2006 is now directly comparable. The growth in new energy-hungry appliances such as flat screen TVs are also responsible for increasing electricity consumption and may be outstripping energy efficiencies in some areas.

There were over 2.37 million domestic electricity meter points and 246.1 thousand industrial and commercial meter points in the South West during 2008 (Department for Energy and Climate Change, 2009)

The average domestic consumer in Great Britain consumed 4,198 kWh of electricity in 2008.  Within the regions, the South East had the highest domestic electricity consumption with 4,543 kWh followed by the East with 4,538 kWh.  The South West had the third highest with 4,481 kWh, which was almost 7% higher than the national average.

Within the region, average domestic consumption varied significantly.  Consumption was highest in the Isles of Scilly (7,135 kWh) followed by Kennet (5,772 kWh) and lowest in Plymouth (3,765 kWh).

Between 2005 and 2008, average domestic consumption per consumer in the South West declined by 10%, slightly higher than the national average of 9%.  All local authorities in the region recorded declines in average domestic consumption over this period, the highest being in Tewksbury (-16%), Cheltenham (-15%) and Stroud (-15%) and the lowest in the Isles of Scilly (-6%), East Dorset (-7%) and Poole (-8%).

Between 2005 and 2008 average commercial and industrial consumption in the South West declined by 7%, from 4,985 to 4,481 kWh, four percentage points higher than the national average of -3%.  All but six local authorities in the region recorded declines over this period, these being Exeter (4%), West Somerset (2%), Kennet (0.7%), Purbeck (0.5%), Salisbury (0.4%) and Sedgemoor (0.3%).  The highest declines were recorded in South Gloucestershire (-28%), Restormel (-24%) and the Isles of Scilly (-22%).

• Dept of Energy and Climate Change