Subdividing end-use energy consumption based on household characteristics and climate conditions: insights from urban China

Abstract

Rapidly increasing household energy consumption poses significant challenges to global warming mitigation and the transition to low-carbon economies, particularly in China. This paper addresses this issue by introducing a comprehensive segmentation model which effectively subdivides household energy usage into five end-uses: cooking/hot water, heating, cooling, lighting, and power. The segmentation model uncovers compelling insights into urban end-use energy consumption patterns across China and variations among provinces. We observe a consistent increase in urban household end-use energy consumption and per capita energy consumption levels over the past decade. Heating and cooking/hot water emerge as the dominant contributors to household energy consumption, accounting for 26% and 40% of the total, respectively. Furthermore, it is found that higher levels of urbanization and improved living conditions are positively correlated with increased power energy consumption. The declining number of household members, primarily due to the prevalence of nuclear families, has resulted in higher energy end-use, particularly in both developed and underdeveloped economic areas. This paper serves as a valuable foundation for understanding and quantifying household end-use energy consumption. The findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of energy consumption patterns, facilitating a cleaner and more sustainable transformation of energy consumption structures.