British energy consumption falls in Q2

British total primary energy consumption for energy uses fell by 3.9 percent, on a temperature adjusted basis, in the second quarter of 2014 compared to the same period of 2013, according to official data released on Thursday.

The decline was chiefly due to lower fossil fuel use in generation and lower final demand, said the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) in its quarterly energy statistics.

Of electricity generated in the second quarter of 2014, gas accounted for 30.2 percent, whilst coal accounted for 28.2 percent, Nuclear accounted for 22.2 percent, DECC said.

Renewable generation fell by 1.0 percent in 2014 quarter two compared to a year earlier, but its share of electricity generation rose to 17 percent from the 16 percent share in the second quarter of 2013, it added.

The energy bills increased in the period. Domestic electricity prices by household consumers, including value-added tax (VAT), in the second quarter of 2014 were 4.4 percent higher in real terms than in the same quarter of 2013. The price of domestic gas, including VAT, rose by 3.5 percent in real terms annually, according to the statistics.