Citizens' potential in CO2 emissions reduction - English summary

The study on CO2 emission reduction potential of

consumer actions in energy sector by 2030

Summary | 30.8.2016

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Introduction

• Traditionally top-down models have been used in building Finland’s energy and climate strategies. This undermines to some extent the significance of citizens’ own actions, the role of which has not been properly brought into public discussion.

• Recent technical development has enabled more active participation of citizens in the energy markets – they have become energy producers and may rationalize their energy consumption by executing energy efficiency measures.

• Likewise, through their choices, citizens have the possibility to affect the energy origin of produced electricity and to promote the addition of renewable energy in the electricity markets by participating in demand response.

• The purpose of this report is to quantify the CO2 emission reduction potential of citizens’ own, selected energy-related low-carbon measures by year 2030.

• The results of the report illustrate the scale of citizens’ influence potential in the Finnish energy system.

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750,000 new heat pumps

Energy efficient renovationLED lighting and energy

efficient home appliances

1,700 GWh solar power

Electric load management in

households

310,000 new electric

vehicles

8 TWh additional CO2 free electricity purchase

Summary of emission reductions of different measures

105,000new biogas

vehicles

420 GWhsolar heat

-1,500 ktCO2e/a

-500 ktCO2e/a

-220 ktCO2e/a

-270 ktCO2e/a-350 ktCO2e/a

-25 ktCO2e/a

-360 ktCO2e/a

-100 ktCO2e/a

-1,700 ktCO2e/a

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Impacts of the measures

• Through their own actions, households may reduce Finland’s CO2 emissions by 5 MtCO2e by year 2030.

• It equals about 1/3 of Finland’s emission reduction need from 2015 to 2030 in order to achieve 40 % emission reduction compared to emission level of 2005.

• It equals 9 % of Finland’s total emissions in 2015.

• Heat pumps have the highest emission reduction potential.

• Also the purchase of CO2-free electricity has the potential to significantly reduce emissions, indirectly.

• Energy end-use may be reduced by 5 % (i.e. 13 TWh) from current by year 2030. Heat pumps have most potential.

• Demand response enables addition of renewable energy although it does not directly reduce energy consumption.

0%2%

30%34%

4%

10% 7%5%

7%

Electric vehiclesElectric load managementSolar heat

Energy efficientrenovations

Heat pumps

Biogas vehilesCO2 free electricitypurchase

Solar power

LED lighting and energyefficient home appliances

100

50

150

0

300

250

200

2030

-13

End use of energy**[TWh/a]

0%13%

13%

3%0%

6%

10%

13%

42%

0

5

10

15

Emission reduction target*[MtCO2e/a]

2030

-5

*) Emission reduction target equals to Finland’s emission reduction need from 2015 to 2030 in order to achieve 40 % emission reduction compared to emission level of 2005.**) Residential solar energy production is considered here as an energy efficiency solution, thus production reduces end use of energy.

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Conclusions• Technological development of the recent years has enabled more active participation of

citizens in the energy markets – consumers have become energy producers, providers of demand response and implementers of energy efficiency. Likewise, consumers have the possibility through their choices to affect the energy origin of produced electricity.

• Citizens’ own, selected low-carbon measures studied in this report have the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 5 MtCO2e by year 2030.

• This equals 9 % of Finland’s total emissions in 2015, and it is about 1/3 of Finland’s emission reduction need from 2015 to 2030 in order to achieve 40 % emission reduction compared to emission level of 2005.

• This analysis highlights that the importance of citizens’ own actions cannot be undermined when developing Finland’s climate and energy strategy.

• The calculations based on which the analysis is made represent an ambitious but realistic trajectory for 2030. Some of the measures are economically profitable already now; some will become such in the years to come. Both activating production and consumption is still largely needed.

• Also usage habits (e.g. apartment indoor temperature, turning off appliances after use, reduction of warm water consumption) matter, but these were not in the scope of this study.

• Likewise, citizens can make choices for low-carbon food, goods and services. Important additional possibilities are still vested in these measures.

Citizens' potential in CO2 emissions reduction - English summary

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