What are the current trends in the UK for household energy usage?

(froy). Submitted on Tue, 7 Feb 2012

There is a global trend of electricity and gas consumption increasing every year, and although the UK may not be facing the same explosive industrial growth as countries such as China and India, the domestic energy markets are rarely out of the headlines.



Electricity and gas prices have been steadily increasing in the UK for many years, and despite recent reductions in the commodity prices of fuels that have enabled suppliers to lower their rates, prices are expected to continue increasing in the foreseeable future. The situation will only become more serious as the energy industry strives to meet European deadlines and achieve 15 per cent renewable energy in Britain by 2020.

While these price increases may be bad news for those struggling on low incomes, they have had the consequence of causing a general drop in energy consumption throughout the nation, which is helping to lessen the supply shortage and in turn keeping prices more reasonable. The installation of prepaid meters in certain types of properties has also been credited with making people more aware of their energy consumption, and providing extra incentive to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

The rate of electricity growth in the UK has been steadily declining in the last few years, although demand for gas increased during the more severe winters of 2008 to 2010. Several energy companies stockpiled gas reserves in advance of winter 2011, which was ultimately milder in comparison to recent years and may also serve to lower unit prices in the near future.

Another factor being credited for the reduced rise in energy consumption is the increasing efficiency of devices. Even as homes, cars, offices and people's pockets are filled with more gadgets and electronics than ever before, the efforts of manufacturers to reduce the energy consumption of these devices has led to a substantial lowering in the carbon footprint of businesses and households replacing their outdated, power-guzzling systems with modern equivalents.

If Britain experiences milder winters over the next few years, and as old gas boilers are routinely replaced with more energy efficient systems, the country may experience a reduction in gas consumption, though electricity usage is expected to continue rising for the foreseeable future. And with government investment in renewable energy resources such as solar power, wind farms and other sustainable technologies, increasing electricity usage will not necessarily mean higher prices or higher carbon emissions for subsequent generations.

 

About the Author

Fiona Roy writes for a digital marketing agency.  This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency.  This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

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