Diverging developments in residential space heating and electric appliances: The impact on CO{sub 2} emissions evidence from ten OECD-countries

Conference · Wed Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1998

OSTI ID:20006386

Zoechling, J; Krackeler, T; Haas, R; Schipper, L

While energy use for residential space heating in OECD countries increased considerably over the period from 1970--1995, CO{sub 2} emissions from space heating nearly remained stable. A reason for this phenomenon involves changes in fuel shares. Since natural gas contains much less carbon per unit of energy than oil or coal, fuel switching clearly reduced the carbon intensity of space heating. In addition, the transition from old coal stoves to modern boilers furnished a significant increase in energy efficiency. Energy use for electric appliances and lighting rose dramatically from 1970--1995. Although OECD countries made remarkable progress in improving appliance and lighting efficiency as well as reducing the amount of carbon dioxide released per unit of electricity, this progress did not stabilize CO{sub 2} emissions from these electric end-uses. Because the carbon content released per unit of delivered electricity significantly exceeds that of fossil fuels for every observed country except Norway, Sweden and France, further increases in appliance use and lighting will tend to bolster carbon emissions in the OECD. This study investigates carbon emissions from space heating and appliances and lighting in ten OECD-countries (Austria, Denmark, France, German, Italy, Japan, Norway, Sweden, UK, and the US). The major finding is that, in the absence of policy interventions, residential carbon emissions will begin to accelerate in the near future.

• Research Organization: Vienna Univ. of Technology (AT)
• OSTI ID: 20006386
• Report Number(s): CONF-980815--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
CARBON DIOXIDE
COMPILED DATA
ELECTRIC APPLIANCES
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
LIGHTING SYSTEMS
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SPACE HEATING
STATISTICAL DATA