Global household energy consumption structure: direct versus embodied perspective from 2000 to 2014

Abstract

Households play a crucial role in global energy consumption. Based on a dynamic multi-regional input–output model, this study examines household energy consumption patterns worldwide and their driving forces from 2000 to 2014. The results reveal the continuous increase in global household energy consumption over the study period: the total amount of household embodied energy consumption being roughly three times that of their direct energy consumption. Despite the shift toward cleaner household direct energy consumption in some countries, the structure of household embodied energy consumption has not changed significantly. The energy transition still requires more effort. The structural decomposition analysis shows that the demand-level effect contributes most to the growth of household embodied energy consumption, while the energy-intensity effect is the main factor offsetting the growth. The analysis at the regional and sectoral levels provides insights for promoting household energy conservation and transition, especially for embodied energy.

Keywords

Household energy consumption / Embodied energy / Structural decomposition analysis / Energy conservation and transition

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Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China(72274206)