HOW ENERGY WORKS Where does the electricity and gas come from?
How does energy get to my home?
What is a National Regulator?
GENERATION/PRODUCTION
Power stations generate electricity from an energy resource. Gas is produced by extracting it from where it is trapped in large rock cavities far underground.
1 SUPPLY
Households receive their energy through a supplier who buys it from wholesale electricity and gas markets on their consumers’ behalf. This is the company that you receive your energy bill from.
TRANSMISSION
4
2
High voltage power lines and high pressure pipelines carry large amounts of electricity and gas from where it is generated or produced to where it will be consumed.
3 DISTRIBUTION
Lower voltage power lines and lower pressure pipelines carry electricity and gas from the transmission system to end users.
FACTS & FIGURES RK O W T E N S M A RT
S!
YO U S A ID REG U LATO R ?
nd dersta t t e r u n m t im e o f e b o t ers efit fro or co n s u m t o b e n y a t n ig h t f n a ll o w p t io n a n d it a c ic r s t r nsum mete e r e le c Smar t h e ir co cheap n a g e t h c a n of fe r a nd. a m m d e d an f s , w h ic h e r e is le s s if r a t use nt le , w h e ex a m p
Yo u r co untry h as an e is t o m ne on m a r k e t it o r t h e p e r fo r g y r e g u la t o r s and t y o p r o t e r m a n ce o f e le a u t h o r it y w h ct and o s e jo b c t r ic it y h e lp e n fo r ce c a n d g a s onsum e r r ig h ts.
445
3
200,266
sets of EU energy liberalisation laws
km
of gas transmission pipelines in the EU
In 2011, in the EU, we consumed over
233,538
(1000 Toe)* of gas
305,000
km
of electricity transmission lines in the EU
In 2011, in the EU, we consumed over
237,966
(1000 Toe)* of electricity
Electricity companies in the EU
286
Gas companies in the EU * 1000 tonnes of oil equivalent
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