Most people are probably aware that, following the March-11 earthquake and tsunami, Japan had to reduce its electricity consumption. As one of the measures was to shift activity away from the peak hours (by starting work earlier, or working on week-ends), there has been some discussion as to whether this only resulted in evening out consumption and reducing peak-hour demand, or if this really had an impact on the total energy consumption.
Fortunately enough, as part of their efforts to promote energy savings, TEPCO is publishing the energy consumption hour by hour, all the way back to January 2008, (see here). As the company is responsible for providing electricity to the Kanto region (including Tokyo), Fukushima prefecture and parts of Shizuoka prefecture, this is where most of the effects of energy savings should be seen. (If anyone wants to look for, and compile, the data for the whole of Japan, please feel free to do so. And if you do, leave a link in the comment section.)
As could be expected, there is quite a drop in the peak demand, (see Table 1 below for details). In July, it was reduced by 22.7% compared to 2010 (or 20.3% if you average the peaks observed in 2008, 2009 and 2010). In August, it was reduced by 16.4% compared to 2010, or 14.5% compared to the average peak.
As you have experienced first-hand if you are in Japan, a number of other measures have been implemented. All over the country, the A/C is set higher, some lights have been turned off (especially in Tokyo), and even the drinks in the vending machines are not as cold as they used to. These additional measures do not simply even out the consumption; they reduce it. The results is that the average consumption (Table 2) is also reduced: -14.3% in July and -18% in August if you compare only to 2010 (we had a very hot summer last year), or -11.9% and -12.3% if you compare to the average of the last three years.
This is confirmed by looking at the minimum hourly consumption (data not shown but available upon request), down this summer by about 10% compared to 2010, or approximately 6% compared to 2008-2010.
Of course, these figures do not tell us whether this is enough of a reduction, or anything about how the electricity is (or should be) produced. But at least it should put to rest any doubts about the impact of these measures.
(I had to process the hourly data to get the tables below, but I do not think I made any error. If you notice any, let me know.)
Table 1: Maximum hourly consumption
Table 2: Average hourly consumption
Fortunately enough, as part of their efforts to promote energy savings, TEPCO is publishing the energy consumption hour by hour, all the way back to January 2008, (see here). As the company is responsible for providing electricity to the Kanto region (including Tokyo), Fukushima prefecture and parts of Shizuoka prefecture, this is where most of the effects of energy savings should be seen. (If anyone wants to look for, and compile, the data for the whole of Japan, please feel free to do so. And if you do, leave a link in the comment section.)
As could be expected, there is quite a drop in the peak demand, (see Table 1 below for details). In July, it was reduced by 22.7% compared to 2010 (or 20.3% if you average the peaks observed in 2008, 2009 and 2010). In August, it was reduced by 16.4% compared to 2010, or 14.5% compared to the average peak.
As you have experienced first-hand if you are in Japan, a number of other measures have been implemented. All over the country, the A/C is set higher, some lights have been turned off (especially in Tokyo), and even the drinks in the vending machines are not as cold as they used to. These additional measures do not simply even out the consumption; they reduce it. The results is that the average consumption (Table 2) is also reduced: -14.3% in July and -18% in August if you compare only to 2010 (we had a very hot summer last year), or -11.9% and -12.3% if you compare to the average of the last three years.
This is confirmed by looking at the minimum hourly consumption (data not shown but available upon request), down this summer by about 10% compared to 2010, or approximately 6% compared to 2008-2010.
Of course, these figures do not tell us whether this is enough of a reduction, or anything about how the electricity is (or should be) produced. But at least it should put to rest any doubts about the impact of these measures.
(I had to process the hourly data to get the tables below, but I do not think I made any error. If you notice any, let me know.)
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | |
| January | 5502 | 5029 | 5240 | 5091 |
| February | 5407 | 4861 | 5199 | 5150 |
| March | 4775 | 4854 | 5171 | 5023 |
| April | 4462 | 4115 | 4734 | 3575 |
| May | 4445 | 4155 | 4205 | 3544 |
| June | 4525 | 4652 | 5132 | 4571 |
| July | 6008 | 5450 | 5999 | 4638 |
| August | 6089 | 5292 | 5888 | 4922 |
| September | 5496 | 4718 | 5828 | |
| October | 4313 | 4144 | 4415 | |
| November | 4753 | 4731 | 4599 | |
| December | 4830 | 4955 | 4879 |
Table 1: Maximum hourly consumption
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | |
| January | 3946 | 3699 | 3748 | 3907 |
| February | 4089 | 3665 | 3918 | 3897 |
| March | 3590 | 3447 | 3636 | 3274 |
| April | 3390 | 3137 | 3433 | 2888 |
| May | 3295 | 3080 | 3138 | 2862 |
| June | 3464 | 3339 | 3544 | 3115 |
| July | 4051 | 3725 | 4057 | 3476 |
| August | 3959 | 3705 | 4246 | 3481 |
| September | 3733 | 3353 | 3829 | |
| October | 3345 | 3220 | 3271 | |
| November | 3447 | 3397 | 3387 | |
| December | 3599 | 3636 | 3596 |
Table 2: Average hourly consumption
(This post may or may not signal the revival of this blog. Time will tell, but you know that it will eventually happen at some point in the near future.)
0 comments:
Post a Comment