10 November 2021
Go to release: Household Environmental Behaviours - Energy Use Quarter 3 2021
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (10 November 2021) published Household Environmental Behaviours - Energy Use Quarter 3 2021. The report analyses how household energy use varies by region and across characteristics such as owner-occupied and rented properties. The findings are based on a household environment module undertaken during the third quarter of 2021.
Statistician in the Environment and Climate Division, Clare O’Hara, commented: ”The report covers primary and secondary fuel use, installations of renewable energy technology, electric vehicle ownership and willingness to use off-peak electricity rates. Natural gas was the main home heating fuel, but its use varied widely between urban households (53%) and rural households (4%). In contrast 53% of rural households used kerosene as their main heating fuel compared with 21% of urban households. Around 26% of households living in rented properties used electricity as their main heating source compared with 7% of households in owner-occupied properties.
Around three-quarters of households used additional supplementary heating. Stoves were used by 31% of households, open fires by 28%, and plug-in electric heaters by 16% of households. Stoves or ranges were much more likely to be used by rural households. Wood logs (18%), coal (18%) and peat (12%) were the main additional heating fuels used in an open fire. Over 28% of households located in the Midland region used peat as an open fire additional heating fuel whereas 26% of households in the South-East and South-West regions used coal.
Electricity was used as the main cooking fuel by 68% of households while 14% used natural gas and 13% used a combination of electricity and gas. Electricity was the predominant cooking fuel in all regions.
Around 16% of households installed smart heating controls compared with 8% for heat pumps, 5% for thermal solar panels, and 3% for PV solar panels. Two-thirds of households have not installed any smart heating controls, solar panels or heat pumps.
Almost one-quarter of households (24%) indicated they are likely to purchase an electric vehicle when they next change their car.
Almost three-quarters of households (74%) indicated they would consider making substantial changes to their electricity consumption if cheaper rates were available in off-peak times.”
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