DEPARTMENT FOR
BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM News Release (P/2007/025)
issued by The Government News Network on 26 July 2007
Statistical Press Release
The 2007 Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics is published
today (Thursday 26 July) by the Department for Business,
Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. With many detailed tables,
supported by charts and commentary, the Digest provides
comprehensive data for 2006 and an account of trends in energy
supply and demand in the United Kingdom.
The Digest is
available both in hard copy from The Stationery Office and free on
the Internet at:
http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/statistics/publications/dukes/page39771.html.
Included with the Digest this year is the popular booklet "UK
Energy in Brief" (which summarizes the latest energy
statistics in 29 Charts)
In addition, data for 2006 in Energy Consumption in the United
Kingdom are also released on 26 July, on the Internet by the
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. This
publication brings together statistics from a variety of sources,
providing a comprehensive review of energy consumption in the UK
since the 1970s. Energy Consumption in the United Kingdom is
available on the Internet at http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/statistics/publications/ecuk/page17658.html
where detailed tables can also be found.
DIGEST OF UK ENERGY STATISTICS 2007
Main trends in energy in 2006:
* Overall there was a decrease in indigenous energy production of
9 per cent and a decrease in primary energy consumption of 1 1/2
per cent in the UK compared with 2005.
* Overall primary fuel
consumption was not met by indigenous production; this continues
the trend from 2004 when the UK became a net importer of fuel. The
UK imported more coal, manufactured fuels, crude oil, electricity
and gas than it exported; however we remained a net exporter of
petroleum products
* The increased demand for fossil fuels
provisionally increased the emissions of carbon dioxide by 1 1/4
per cent in 2006.
* A higher gas-coal price differential
increased the commercial attractiveness of coal for electricity
generation, and decreased the amount of electricity generated from
gas. Gas accounted for 36 per cent of electricity supplied, down
from 39 per cent in 2005.
* Refinery production decreased by 3
1/2 per cent and petroleum product exports decreased by 2 1/2 per
cent.
* In 2006 Combined Heat and Power (CHP) capacity stood
at 5,549 MWe a small (-1/2 per cent) decrease on 2005.
*
Electricity generated from renewable sources in the UK in 2006
represented 4.6 per cent of total UK electricity generation, up
from 4.2 per cent in 2005.
* In 2006 the energy
industries' accounted for 5 per cent of GDP and 8 per cent of
total investment, up from 4 1/2 and 6 1/2 per cent respectively in 2005.
Main energy production and trade statistics:
* Primary energy production in the United Kingdom in 2006, at
196.7 million tonnes of oil equivalent, was 9 per cent lower than
in 2005.
* Natural gas production fell 8 1/2 per cent in 2006,
the sixth consecutive year that natural gas production has fallen
since its peak in 2000. The UK imported more gas than it exported,
continuing a trend which began in 2004.
* Crude oil production
in 2006 fell by 9 1/2 per cent, and now accounts for 43 per cent
of indigenous energy production.
* Coal production was down 9
1/2 per cent in 2006 compared to 2005. Imports of coal rose by 15
per cent to a new record of 50 1/2 million tonnes, constituting 75
per cent of coal supply for the UK.
Main energy consumption statistics:
* UK energy consumption in 2006 decreased by 1 1/2 per
cent.
* Overall gas demand fell by 5 per cent. Gas demand for
electricity generation fell by 5.7 per cent and gas' share of
the UK's supply of electricity was 37 per cent.
* Total
oil consumption in the UK was broadly unchanged in 2006 at 82
million tonnes of oil equivalent. The majority of this, 72 per
cent, was consumed in the transport sector.
* Consumption of
Derv fuel exceeded the consumption of motor spirit in 2006 by 2
million tonnes. However Derv is a heavier fuel so in volume terms
motor spirit consumption still exceeded Derv consumption by 330
million litres.
* Coal consumption rose by 9 per cent in 2006.
There was a 10 per cent increase in consumption by major power
producers (consumers of 83 per cent of total coal demand). 38 per
cent of the electricity supplied in the UK came from coal in 2006,
up from 34 per cent in 2005. Disposals of coal to final users fell
by 6 1/2 per cent. The domestic sector accounted for less than 1
per cent of total coal consumption.
* Energy consumption by
final users (ie after conversion to secondary fuels, such as
electricity or road transport fuels) at 169.6 million tonnes of
oil equivalent fell by 2 per cent in 2006. Consumption increased
in the transport, sector, while it decreased in the industry,
domestic, and service sectors and amongst non-energy uses.
Main electricity generation and supply statistics:
* There was a 1/2 per cent decrease in electricity supply in the
UK in 2006 to 406 TWh, the first year on year fall since 1997.
Indigenous electricity supply fell by 1/4 per cent but net imports
of electricity fell by 9 1/2 per cent to 71/2 TWh.
* While
energy industries' use of electricity rose by 5 per cent in
2006, final consumption of electricity fell by 1/2 per cent to 343
TWh.
* The domestic sector was the largest electricity
consumer in 2006 (116 TWh), although the industrial sector was
less than half a TWh behind. Consumption in the industrial sector
fell by 2 per cent and in the domestic sector consumption fell by
1/2 per cent in 2006.
* Total electrical capacity of good
quality combined heat and power (CHP) plants in the UK in 2006 was
5,549 MWe, a decrease of 22 MWe from 2005. There were 5 new
schemes but 8 ceased to operate. Electrical output from CHP was
also down (by 3 per cent) from 2005's record level at 28,000
GWh.
* In 2006 the proportion of UK electricity generated from
renewables was 4.6 per cent. On the basis of the policy
measurement of the contribution of renewables eligible under the
Renewables Obligation to UK electricity sales, 2006 showed
continued growth with the percentage increasing from 3.1 per cent
in 2004, to 4.0 per cent in 2005 and 4.4 per cent in 2006.
Installed electrical generating capacity of renewable sources rose
by 11 per cent in 2006, mainly as a result of a 22 per cent
increase in wind capacity and a 5 per cent increase in the
capacity of sites fuelled by biofuels and wastes.
ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
* The overall increase in energy consumption between 1990 and
2006 was 12.5 million tonnes of oil equivalent - an increase of
51/2 per cent. The changes in the main sectors, between 1990 and
2006 were:
Industry: - 16 per cent
Domestic: +12 per
cent
Transport: +23 per cent
Services and agriculture: +3
1/2 per cent.
* Growth in energy consumption in the transport sector is
slowing. By 2006, transport energy consumption had more than
doubled since 1970, but three quarters of this increase occurred
by 1990. Since 1990 transport consumption has risen by 23 per
cent. The largest increase between 1990 and 2006 occurred in the
air transport sector, where consumption rose by 91 per cent. Over
the same period the rail sectors consumption of electricity rose
by 61 per cent, whilst passenger road fuel use was essentially unchanged.
* Domestic energy consumption increased by 12 per cent between
1990 and 2006. During this period the number of households
increased by 13 1/2 per cent, the population by 6 per cent and
total household disposable income by 49 per cent in real terms.
Space heating accounted for three-fifths of all energy consumed in
the domestic sector and it is estimated that over the last thirty
years, if savings from insulation and heating efficiency
improvements had not been made, then energy consumption for space
heating would be twice current levels.
* In 2006, the largest single sub-sector in the industrial sector
was chemicals, which accounted for 18 per cent of all industrial
energy consumption. In 2006 energy consumption in the chemical
sector was 6% lower than the previous year.
* In the service sector, energy consumption in the private sector
increased by 15 1/2 per cent between 1990 and 2006, but fell by 6
1/2 per cent in the public sector. At the same time, output,
measured as the contribution made to the UK economy, increased by
around 80 per cent in the private sector and around a third in the
public sector, in real terms.
* Data published in the March 2007 edition of Energy Trends show
that emissions of carbon dioxide increased by 1 1/4 per cent in
2006 compared to 2005, but were 5 1/4 per cent below 1990 levels.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics 2007, compiled
by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform,
contains tables and extensive commentary, charts and technical
notes. As well as giving new data for 2006 it also presents some
revised data for earlier years.
2. The Digest provides a comprehensive account of energy supply
and demand in the United Kingdom, with the majority of the tables
covering the last five years. The first chapter covers aggregated
overall energy statistics, energy balances and the estimated value
of fuel purchases. This chapter gives details of the conversion
of fuels by the energy supply industries and figures for
consumption by final users, with an analysis of consumption by
main industrial groups. It also contains a table covering fuel
used for electricity generation by industries whose main activity
is not the generation of electricity (ie autogenerators). Other
chapters cover the individual fuels and particular topics such as
combined heat and power and renewable sources of energy. The
Digest also contains annexes on key events in the energy
industries in recent years and a glossary of terms.
3. The Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics 2007 is
available from the Stationery Office at a cost of £40 (ISBN
9780115155208) and on the Internet at http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/statistics/publications/dukes/page39771.html.
UK Energy in Brief is included with this year's Digest, a
booklet summarising the main figures in the publication. UK Energy
in Brief and the 2004 Energy Flowchart are available on request
from BERR, Clive Sarjantson tel. 020 7215 2698. UK Energy in Brief
is also available on the Internet at:
http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/statistics/publications/in-brief/page17222.html
The 2004 Energy Flow Chart is also available on the internet at:
http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file11248.pdf
4. Energy Consumption in the United Kingdom brings together
statistics from a number of sources to produce a comprehensive
review of energy consumption in the UK since the 1970s, with a
particular focus on changes since 1990. These data are brought
together every few years and the most recent printed publication
was in July 2002. It includes an analysis of the factors driving
changes in energy consumption, the impact of increasing activity,
increased efficiency, and structural change in the economy. This
year updated information is released in tables on the Internet
only at http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/statistics/publications/ecuk/page17658.html
5. Energy Trends is a quarterly publication that contains tables,
charts and commentary covering all major aspects of energy. It
provides a comprehensive picture of energy production and use over
recent months and enables readers to monitor trends during the
year and complements the annual publications. The latest edition
was published on 28 June 2007. It is available on subscription
(with Quarterly Energy Prices, see below) through Amey plc -
contact Clive Sarjantson, tel: 020 7215 2698. Single copies are
available from the BERR Publications Orderline priced £6. It is
also available at;
http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/statistics/publications/trends/index.html
6. The Quarterly Energy Prices publication issued with Energy
Trends by BERR presents information on energy prices. It contains
analyses of petroleum product prices, industrial energy prices,
domestic electricity and gas prices, and international comparisons
of energy prices. It contains the information on energy prices
that until 2001 was published in the Digest of United Kingdom
Energy Statistics. The latest edition was published on 28 June
2007. It is available on subscription (with Energy Trends, see
above) through Amey plc - contact Clive Sarjantson, tel: 020 7215
2698. Single copies are available from the BERR Publications
Orderline priced £8. It is also available at:
http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/statistics/publications/prices/index.html
7. In addition to the above statistical publications on the
internet, the BERR's web site also contains key energy data
in downloadable spreadsheet format. The spreadsheet format
includes data on energy production, consumption, trade and prices
and is available in monthly, quarterly and annual time-series
format. These data are available at: http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/statistics/source/index.html
Public Enquiries: 020 7215 5000
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Internet
address: http://www.berr.gov.uk/
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You can find a range of National Statistics on the Internet - http://www.statistics.gov.uk