Global changes in residential energy consumption

The residential energy sector is crucial to achieving CO2 emission reductions as it has an important energy saving potential, and its environmental controls are difficult to displace to other countries. Using the latest available data, this short paper provides a concise analysis of residential energy consumption trends for the period 1993-2013 in a double perspective, by main world regions and by per capita gross national income levels in 2013. Residential energy has been divided into three types: non-renewable, direct renewable and indirect renewable. Annual rates of change, energy intensity, energy in per capita terms and some ratios have been analyzed. Notable regional differences and trends were observed in the studied variables. Therefore, different energy policies are recommended for the regions. Eastern and Southern Asian countries, the EU15 and other developed countries, are the regions which should make the greatest effort to reduce residential energy consumption. The promotion of direct and indirect renewable energies is recommended.