Interactive, bottom-up model to audit the true per-person energy consumption (direct and embedded) of Irish citizens per annum

Abstract

A per-person energy consumption model was created which can estimate the energy consumed by the average Irish citizen based on user-entered characteristics. The model is built almost entirely on a bottom-up approach which gives a better understanding of energy consumption on a per-person basis than the currently available per-capita estimates. It was found that the average Irish person consumes 69.9 MWh annually, of which only 28% is consumed directly with the remainder coming from indirect energy sources, primarily the energy embodied in purchased goods and services. It was determined that 51% of Ireland’s overall energy consumption is imported in the form of embodied energy.Gaining a more thorough understanding of individual energy use is important to create effective policies on energy consumption. In conjunction with this, policy implementation can only work if individuals are aware of the energy cost of each element of their lifestyles. To this end, the model is both interactive (users enter characteristics such as employment, travel, household, location etc.) and visual. It allows for detailed energy-use estimates in comparison to the average reference Irish person.