Ceredigion Energy Audit A review of energy consumption and production in Ceredigion, 2005. The main aim of the 2005 Ceredigion Energy Audit is to establish the energy baseline and to stimulate an energy strategy and action plan for the county. The audit sets out to review energy supply and consumption for heat and electricity within Ceredigion, identify the number of hard to heat homes and the extent of fuel poverty. Transport will be considered in a future audit.
Current Situation x x
Ceredigion consumes 1,778 GWh of heat and electricity annually.
Energy Consumption in Ceredigion by Sector (based on regional consumption and HECA data)
The largest energy consumer is the domestic sector accounting for 1,004GWh annually, 56% of the overall energy consumption.
1,200,000
1,000,000
LPG Petroleum
800,000
x
Ceredigion produces 345GWh annually from renewable energy sources, 19.3% of the total energy consumed.
Ceredigion emits 612,866 tonnes of CO2 pollution annually.
x
213,043 tonnes of CO2 are offset by renewable energy production.
x
Solid fuel
200,000
Ceredigion generates 318GWh of renewable electricity, 89% of the total electricity consumed. However, electricity is only 18% of Ceredigion’s total energy demand.
x
x
Electricity
400,000
0
Domestic
Industrial
Service
Transport
Fig.1 Energy Consumption in Ceredigion by Sector Ceredigion Carbon Emissions (tonnes CO2) and Energy Footprints (ha) 450,000 400,000
1.89
350,000
To reach the government’s 2050 Target of a 60% reduction in CO2 from 1990 levels, emissions of CO2 need to be reduced by 225,138 tonnes. The total Eco-footprint of Ceredigion residents is 3.9 ha. To continue living our current lifestyles we would require 2.05 planet Earths to live sustainably.
Tonnes CO2 p.a.
x
MWh
Mains Gas 600,000
300,000
1.12
250,000
0.93
0.82
200,000 150,000 100,000 50,000 Current
2050 target
Global Average Sustainable Fair Share
Fig. 2 Comparative Eco Footprints
Domestic Energy Use
Ceredigion Domestic Energy Use 800,000
x
700,000
Ceredigion consumes 1,004GWh of domestic energy annually.
600,000
x
x
88% of domestic energy use is for heating: space heating comprises 71% and water heating 17%.
MWh
500,000
Oil Electricity
400,000
Gas Solid fuel
300,000 200,000 100,000
Oil and solid fuels are the largest fuel sources of the domestic sector.
0
Space heating
Water heating
Cooking
Lighting and Appliances
Fig.3 Ceredigion Domestic Energy Use
Fuel use within Ceredigion x x
Ceredigion Fuel Use (excluding transport)
Transport consumes 370GWh annually, 21% of overall fuel use.
Solid fuel 23%
Petroleum 29%
Excluding transport, Ceredigion consumes 20% more solid fuel, 15% more petroleum and 33% less gas than the UK average
Gas 24%
Electricity 24%
Fig.4 Fuel use (excluding transport)
UK Fuel Prices x Overall the prices paid for all fuel and electricity have risen by 5.8% in real terms between Q3 2003 and Q3 2004. x Since April 2004 oil prices have risen from $34 a barrel to a current value of $57 a barrel.
Fuel Poverty Fuel x
Defined as someone who spends more than 10% of their total income on energy, such as electricity and heating.
x
Fuel poverty is influenced by three main factors: the cost of fuel, the energy efficiency of the dwelling and heating systems and the income of the residents.
x
An estimated 17.2% of houses in Wales are fuel poor*. This equates to 5,335 houses in Ceredigion.
x
Fuel poverty can damage people’s quality of life and health, as well as impose wider costs on the community. The likelihood of ill health is increased by cold homes which lead to enforced absences from work.
x
The need to spend a large portion of income on fuel means that fuel poor households have to make difficult decisions about other household essentials. This can lead to poor diets and/or withdrawal from the community.
*2003 A Fuel Poverty Commitment for Wales. Welsh Assembly Government
Measures to Reduce CO2 Emissions Ceredigion has a current annual CO2 balance of 399,826 tonnes. This figure is calculated from the amount of CO2 produced less the amount saved in pollution by renewable energy sources. The UK government has set targets for the reduction of CO2 emissions for the year 2020 and is aiming to meet international targets by 2050. By 2050 Ceredigion will have had to reduce its annual CO2 emissions to 225,138 tonnes. Ceredigion CO2 Reduction Targets CO2 balance
800000
C O2 E m issions (tonnes/yr)
700000
2050 Target
600000 500000
2020 Target
400000 Increasing energy consumption with no further RE and EE
300000 200000
1990 levels
100000
2050 levels
0 1980
1990
2000
2010
2020
2030
2040
2050
2060
Fig. 5 Ceredigion CO2 Reduction Targets The blue line illustrates the last 15 years of the Ceredigion CO2 balance. The most recent decrease in emissions is due to the commissioning of the Cefn Croes wind farm. To achieve CO2 reductions Ceredigion could adopt various non-transport measures by 2020: x
A new 58.5MW windfarm, the same size as the Cefn Croes windfarm, could reduce CO2 emissions by 100,545tonnes. In fact, 65km2 of land within Ceredigion could be developed for wind farm use, providing a potential for 388 MW*, reducing CO2 emissions by 667,000tonnes.
x
Installing 2KW of solar electric into 20% of houses in Ceredigion would prevent 12.8MW of fossil fuel or electric being used to heat water, reducing CO2 emissions by 8,371tonnes.
x
Equipping 20% of houses in Ceredigion with 3m2 solar water heating systems would generate 9.6MW reducing CO2 emissions by 2,774tonnes.
x
Installing 10,000 low energy lightbulbs would reduce emissions by 523tonnes.
x
Installing an extra 100mm of insulation in 1000 houses would reduce emissions by 200tonnes.
Conclusion x Predicted growth in Ceredigion’s population and increasing energy consumption in most sectors effectively doubles the annual CO2 reduction requirements. *Macauly Insitiute, 2002 Spatial Planning for Wind Turbine Development in Wales. CCW
Recommendations x
Develop a vision for an energy sustainable future for Ceredigion.
x
Ceredigion County Council should lead by example through reducing energy demands, purchasing “green electricity”, increased use of renewable energy for space and water heating across all of its buildings.
x
All planning applications should be strongly encouraged to incorporate energy efficient and passive solar design techniques and equipment. Renewable energy should be considered at the earliest stage.
x
Proactive supplementary guidance specifically for renewable energy and renewable efficiency should be developed. This should be a user friendly document that incorporates case studies, identifies advisors and grant funding streams and signposts to expertise.
x
All new social housing schemes should pay attention to providing “affordable warmth” for its tenants, through highly energy efficient design and include renewable energy through solar water heating on all properties. Community heating schemes using wood should be investigated at the concept stage.
x
Significant long term economic, social and environmental benefits could be derived form community renewable energy schemes. There are several options for “community ownership” ranging from community benefits derived from commercial operations making donations to communities, right through to community owned and led operations.
x
Improve the energy efficiency in all of the homes in Ceredigion, with particular emphasis on the lowincome households, thereby substantially reducing the current high levels of fuel poverty.
Visit the Mid Wales Energy Agency website and use the CO2 calculator to test the various measurements that could help reduce CO2 emissions within Ceredigion.
For further information: Mid Wales Energy Agency
0845 4585973
www.mwea.org.uk
Ymlaen Ceredigion
01970 633395
bobj@ymlaenceredigion.org.uk
Researched by Dr Tim Dunbabin Mid Wales Energy Agency Unit 7, Dyfi Eco Park, Machynlleth, Powys SY20 8AX info@mwea.org.uk The audit is supported by Environment Wales and the RES-e regions project, and part funded by the Ceredigion Partnership Management Board’s Future Communities scheme, the National Assembly’s Local Regeneration Fund & European Regional Development Fund.