Energy consumption goes up 2% in 2015

Sunday 07 May 2017

Energy consumption went up 2% in Jersey in 2015 according to new figures released by the Statistics Department.

The rise could be explained by a colder year with an average daily temperature in 2015 of 12.9 degrees, 0.4 degree less than 2014.

The final energy consumption (FEC) in 2015 was 152,491 toe (tonne of oil equivalent), in 2014 it was 148,824 toe. However, the report mentions that over the last five years, the FEC has stayed constant at around 150,000 to 160,000 toe despite the growing number of the population.

The Minister for the Environment, Deputy Steve Luce, has welcomed the results. He told Express: "The results of the report are not unexpected and certainly no surprise. There are a few additional people living in the Island every year so I’m pleased that power consumption per head has dropped 8% over the last 5 year, although slightly up on 2014."

"However, there’s more to do and I’m confident that the measures we have put in place (and continue to introduce) on Building By-Laws will see this trend continue. More efficient engines in cars will also help and I hope to see the trend towards hybrids and electric vehicles continue."

37% of the energy was consumed by households while 35% was by transportation and 28% by industry and government. The consumption by inhabitant was of 1.5 toe, slightly below the UK with 2.1.

Deputy Luce welcomed the results saying: "I’m pleased to see that electricity generation from oil is down again from 201 and that’s good from our carbon emissions point of view. I note the (continuing) increase in the use of diesel fuel and this is something I will want to discuss with the Infrastructure Minister. I need to understand better if this diesel increase is from cars or commercial vehicle and I also see that transport accounted for 38% of energy use. I want to do more to encourage electric vehicles and this will help emissions further."