Latest DECC Energy Trends

[mikepepler]

Energy Trends was published yesterday, I've written a short summary with graphs here. Nothing astounding - the decline continues, and renewables are increasing, albeit slowly compared to the fossil fuel decline.

[woodburner]

Useful to an extent, but I don't like the use of shifted zeros. This gives an exaggerated impression and distorts the true position IMO.

[RenewableCandy]

It is worryingly reminiscent of that post of predictions "Riches to Rags" on TOD all those years ago. Good job somebody's crunching these numbers and making them easier to understand: the more of the Great British Public who cotton on to this, the better.

[biffvernon]

Mike, you wrote

Coal mines have been closing - production is down 32% over last year. Imports are up 12%, and mainly come from Russia, Columbia and the USA. Total consumption is actually down 2.8% on a year ago, due to a reduction in the use of coal for generating electricity - coal use in other areas increased significantly.

Do you have any figures for the non electricity generation coal use, and what these uses are?

[mikepepler]

Mike, you wrote

Coal mines have been closing - production is down 32% over last year. Imports are up 12%, and mainly come from Russia, Columbia and the USA. Total consumption is actually down 2.8% on a year ago, due to a reduction in the use of coal for generating electricity - coal use in other areas increased significantly.

Do you have any figures for the non electricity generation coal use, and what these uses are?

Usage for electricity was down 7.7%, but other industrial use was up 56%, and other final consumers were up 2.2%. Because of the size of the electricity sector, the overall trend was still down - presumably because of power stations closing...

The breakdown within this isn't very detailed, but does show that iron and steel was down slightly (-1.2%), as was domestic (-0.1%), but 'other' industries and users boosted their use. I guess their might be further info in other documents on the DECC website?

[Ralph]

Energy Trends was published yesterday, I've written a short summary with graphs here. Nothing astounding - the decline continues, and renewables are increasing, albeit slowly compared to the fossil fuel decline.

I like the graphs. They, and you, make the point very well that the transition continues at a pace that most probably don't even notice.