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CO2 savings are intrinsically linked with demand reductions at the most basic level, i.e. if you generate less, less CO2 is produced. This relationship is well documented and is being pursued by Member States already to varying degrees.
What is also significant is the fact that base load demand particularly is most influenced by demand side energy efficiency measures. Heating especially is a predictable load and so a country’s control and despatch system will bring (usually large) generation assets online in order to meet this demand. These power stations tend to be coal, nuclear or oil-firing assets (peak demand tends to be met by comparatively clean gas-fired or large-scale hydro plants which can be brought online or scaled up quickly). As a result, and with the exception of nuclear assets, base load is traditionally supplied by the most polluting forms of fossil fuel generation. It is this load that demand reduction measures such as those considered in this project will specifically alleviate, and which will therefore realise the most significant carbon savings.
Typical half-hourly changes in demand profile
The diagram above illustrates how residential demand can vary from an ‘average’ or base level on a typical winter day in England. To some extent these fluctuations are predictable, but not entirely. Below zero, base load generators would normally meet the generation requirement – and these would typically be coal, nuclear or oil-firing power stations. The demand load would be mostly heating requirements, and it is this demand that the energy efficiency packages envisaged in this project would alleviate. The area above the zero line indicates peaking demand, produced mainly from household applications such as televisions and kettles. This demand is normally met by relatively clean gas-firing power stations. The generation profile thus aligns favourably with residential energy efficiency packages from a carbon reduction perspective.