Digest of Rural England: 8 – Energy
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In 2020 when COVID-19 pandemic hit the UK and people were forced to stay at home, median
electricity consumption went up in both Predominantly Rural and Predominantly Urban areas. For
Predominantly Rural areas the average median domestic electricity consumption went up by 110
kWh per meter, whilst for Predominantly Urban areas the absolute increase was smaller (80 kWh
per meter). In percentage terms this is a 3% increase in domestic electricity consumption in both
Predominantly Rural and Predominantly Urban areas. With the stay-at-home restrictions largely
removed the average median domestic electricity consumption reduced again in 2021 by 8% (250
kWh per meter) in Predominantly Rural areas and 7% (210 kWh per meter) in Predominantly
Urban areas.
In 2021, the average median domestic electricity consumption was 2,980 kWh per meter in
Predominantly Rural areas and 2,680 kWh per meter in Predominantly Urban areas. When
compared to consumption in 2015, the 2021 average median domestic electricity consumption was
480 kWh per meter lower in Predominantly Rural areas and 430 kWh per meter lower in
Predominantly Urban areas.
As shown on Figure E-1 (right-hand chart), average median non-domestic electricity consumption
was lower in Predominantly Rural areas than in Predominantly Urban areas between 2015 and
2019. In 2015, the average median non-domestic electricity consumption was 8,310 kWh per
meter in Predominantly Rural areas and 8,910 kWh per meter in Predominantly Urban areas. With
the exception of 2017, when there was a modest rise, the average median non-domestic electricity
consumption fell year on year between 2015 and 2019 in both Predominantly Rural and
Predominantly Urban areas, but it fell at a faster rate in Predominantly Urban areas. In 2019, the
average median non-domestic electricity consumption was 7,410 kWh per meter in Predominantly
Rural areas and 7,510 kWh per meter in Predominantly Urban areas. Average median non-
domestic electricity consumption was 11% lower in Predominantly Rural areas in 2019 than in
2015, whilst in Predominantly Urban areas it was 16% lower in 2019 than in 2015.
In 2020, when stay-at-home orders led to the closure of many non-domestic presences for a period
of time to combat the spread of COVID-19, the average median non-domestic electricity
consumption fell by 1,360 kWh per meter in Predominantly Rural areas and by 1,720 kWh per
meter in Predominantly Urban areas. In percentage terms this was a fall in consumption of 18% in
Predominantly Rural areas and a fall of 23% in Predominantly Urban areas relative to 2019
average median consumption levels. This sharper fall in Predominantly Urban areas led to a higher
average median non-domestic electricity consumption in Predominantly Rural areas (6,050 kWh
per meter) than in Predominantly Urban areas (5,780 kWh per meter). Whilst average median
non-domestic electricity consumption rose again in 2021, it only rose to 7,030 kWh per meter in
Predominantly Rural areas and 7,010 kWh per meter in Predominantly Urban areas. This 2021
average median non-domestic consumption was 380 kWh per meter lower than the 2019 average
median non-domestic consumption in Predominantly Rural areas; whilst in Predominantly Urban
areas the 2021 consumption was 490 kWh lower.
In 2021, the total non-domestic electricity consumption in Predominantly Rural Local Authorities
was 29,500 GWh (Note E-2), which is 2,000 GWh (6%) lower than in 2015 (Table E-1). In
Predominantly Urban Local Authorities the total non-domestic electricity consumption fell by 12,200
GWh (13%) over the same period and stood at 84,200 GWh in 2021. In 2015 Predominantly Rural
Local Authorities accounted for 21.1% of total non-domestic electricity consumption; in 2021 their
share had risen to 22.2%.