Commercial
The commercial sector consumes about 5% of UK fossil fuel and emits around 5% of CO2
The sector includes several minor groupings but our analysis focuses on the emissions by commercial buildings and public administration which represent over 80% of the sector total. Consumption is dominated by gas (45%) and electricity (45%).
Significant report findings - Commercial
- Improved insulation of commercial buildings would offer a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions and reduce fuel use.
- The application of gas-fuelled CHP would offer a reduction of up to 20% in CO2 emissions by 2025. However the value of this measure would greatly reduce after 2025, given that electricity sector production will be largely decarbonised after this time.
- The use of biomass CHP on the scale necessary in this sector is not feasible because of the limited amount of biomass resource available, although smaller-scale systems are both feasible and desirable.
- Wider adoption of heat pumps to meet the heating demand of buildings offers a significant reduction in CO2 emissions after 2020.
- Improvements in lighting and hot water systems offer useful emissions reductions of about 10% each.
- Embedded renewable energy systems such as wind and solar could supply up to 5% of the sector's electricity demand by 2020 and up to 20% of demand by 2050.
Required areas for further work in the commercial sector.
Summary Points (819 KB)
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