EU energy end-uses analysis and 2050 Low-Carbon scenarios - part III - KEP energy Magazine - KEP energy

The households sector analysis has been carried out taking in account both the demand side and the supply side. The combination of Eurostat data and Odyssee data shows that the heating is the main energy end-use. The complementary share is split among Domestic Hot Water (DHW) production, cooking, illumination and appliances. During the 2000-2012 period the overall final energy demand remained almost unchanged. In this period the heating need decreased while the illumination and appliances needs increased.

According to Odyssee data, during the 2000-2012 period the average EU annual growth of the households sector final energy demand has been equal to 1,8%. The energy savings in this sector, cumulated from 1990 to 2012, are equal to 110 MTOE. They are due to the energy efficiency increase and to the users behaviour awareness, as a consequence of the energy costs rise.

During the 2000-2012 period the overall energy consumption amount remained almost unchanged. The energy efficiency increase has been compensated from the final energy demand increase, due to some factors: urban expansions; rise of the flats average area (in East Europe countries); installation of air-conditioning devices (in Mediterranean Europe countries); widespread of appliances.

In 2012 the appliances are the main share of electric final energy demand in the households sector. The heating is the sequent share, mostly due to France and Scandinavian countries. The complementary share is split among lighting, DHW production and cooking.

The air conditioning is relevant only in Malta, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Italy, Spain, Slovenia, Greece and Portugal (about 10% of the overall electricity consumption).

During the 1998-2008 period the average EU annual growth rate of electric final energy demand due to lighting and appliances has been equal to 1,2%/year. The lighting represents about 15% and the appliances about 85%. In 2012 the market share of Class A or higher appliances has been beyond 90%. In 1998 the same market share was 10%. The energy savings consequent to Class A widespread are compensated from the increase of average devices number for each flat/dwelling. Similarly, the energy saving consequent to installations of “Compact Fluorescent Lamp” has been compensated from the increase of average lighting points for each flat/dwelling.

In the countries where it is used, the air conditioning presents high growth rates: beyond 30% in Slovenia, during the 2000-2008 period; beyond 45% in Bulgaria, during the same period. The “split” devices are about 95% of the air conditioning devices market, in the sector of cooling capacity less than 14 kW. The average energy efficiency of “split” devices is increased about 30% from 2002 to 2009.

The surveys presented from Odyssee are in agreement with those presented from Joint Research Centre (JRC), related to 2009. The surveys show that the electric final energy demand in the households sector (about 820 TWh) is almost equal to that one in the services sector (about 867 TWh). The split of the electric final energy demand by sectors and by end-uses indicates that the main share are the appliances, not the air conditioning.

From the combination among Eurostat, Odyssee and JRC data it results that in the current average EU final energy demand of the buildings sector the fossil fuels consumption for heating is prevalent, and the electricity consumption for appliances is relevant. During the 1990-2012 period this configuration remained almost unchanged on the demand side. In the same period the shares of fossil fuels have been changed on the supply side. The gas share increased, whilst the coal and oil shares decreased. In general, the heating trend shrinks and the appliances trend growths.

During the 2004-2013 period the RES growth rate has been equal to 7,5%/year, related to the overall final energy demand. During the 2000-2012 period in the buildings sector the electrification average growth rate has been equal to 2,6%/year, related to the overall final energy demand, higher in the services sector and lower in the households sector.