Effects of changes in residential end-uses and behavior on aggregate carbon intensity: comparison of 10 OECD countries for the period 1970 through 1993

• Published in: Energy economics Vol. 23; no. 2; pp. 153 - 178
• Main Authors: Greening, Lorna A., Ting, Michael, Krackler, Thomas J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.03.2001; Elsevier Science; Elsevier; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Series: Energy Economics
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Carbon; Carbon dioxide; Carbon dioxide emissions; Comparative analysis; Cross-national analysis; Economic data; Emissions; Energy; Energy consumption; Energy economics; Energy use; Energy utilization; Exact sciences and technology; General, economic and professional studies; Methodology. Modelling; Pollution; Residential; Residential buildings; Statistics; Studies; United States; Europe; Japan; United Kingdom; North America; West Germany; Sweden; Asia; Norway; America; Finland; Denmark; Italy; France; Germany; Energy use; Carbon dioxide emissions; Residential; Q41; Energy consumption; Distribution by sources; Divisia index; Carbon dioxide; Energy economy; Decomposition method; Personal income; Pollutant emission; Energy intensity; Price; Primary energy; Electric power production; Residential sector
• ISSN: 0140-9883; 1873-6181
• DOI: 10.1016/S0140-9883(00)00059-1

Patterns of the evolution of aggregate carbon intensity from residential end uses show greater variability than other sectors. For some countries in this analysis, this measure exhibits significant decreases, while for other countries this measure exhibits significant increases over the period of analysis. The Adaptive Weighted Divisia rolling base year index specification is applied to carbon emissions from the residential sector for 10 OECD countries for the period 1970–1993. Decreases in aggregate carbon intensity for six of the countries range less than 8% to almost 72%, and may be attributed to changes in three different factors. However, for all of the countries, decreases are offset by shifts in end-use structure toward more carbon-intensive activities. These shifts are driven by an increase in the number of households with a corresponding increase in floor space, acquisition of greater numbers of major appliances and by an increase in the ‘other’ energy consumption category.