Exploring the correlation between rising temperature and household electricity consumption: An empirical analysis in China

Abstract

This study investigates the nexus between rising temperatures and household energy consumption using data from respondents' electricity bills in the "China Residential Energy Consumption Survey." Our analysis reveals a significant correlation, with an 8.9 % increase in yearly energy consumption observed when the average temperature exceeds 32 °C. Additionally, we explore potential shifts in power usage due to global warming by integrating baseline estimates with daily temperature forecasts from eight contemporary climate models. Our findings project alarming trends: without interventions to curb greenhouse gas emissions, home electricity consumption could surge by 9.59–30.09 % in the medium term and by 9.77–47.70 % in the long run. By shedding light on these critical connections, our research underscores the urgent need for policy actions to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change on energy consumption patterns.