Energy savings in Scandinavian households: an assessment of 25 years development

Panel: Panel 6. Dynamics of consumption

Authors:
Fridtjof Unander, International Energy Agency
Mike Ting, International Energy Agency
Ingunn Ettestøl, Enova

Abstract

This paper uses a decomposition approach based on Laspeyres indices to examine savings in residential energy use in the Scandinavian countries: Denmark, Norway and Sweden, over the period 1973 to 1998. The decomposition approach allows for separating impacts on energy use from changes in residential energy demand structure and end-use intensities. The paper also makes comparisons to other countries that have been analysed in the IEA energy efficiency indicator project. The results show that while Denmark and Sweden achieved significant reductions of residential energy intensities between 1973 and 1990, the reductions in Norway were negligible. After 1990, the picture changed; there was a strong decline in residential energy intensities in Norway and a high rate of energy savings compared most other countries analysed by the IEA, while energy savings in Denmark and Sweden more or less came to a halt.