Household Environmental Behaviours - Energy Use 2024

Participants were asked about installations in the home linked to energy efficiency, namely, heat pumps, photovoltaic solar panels, thermal solar panels, smart heating controls and batteries for electricity storage. Overall, 16% reported having smart heating controls, 11% heat pumps, 10% photovoltaic solar panels, 8% thermal solar panels, and 4% reported having a battery for electricity storage (See Table 4.1).  Around one in three people reported having at least one of these installed in their home (See Figure 4.1).

Urban and Rural location

Comparing rural and urban dwellers, installations were found to be more common in rural locations (38%) than urban locations (32%). Heat pumps, photovoltaic solar panels, thermal solar panels and batteries for electricity storage were all more commonly reported for people in rural locations than urban locations (See Figure 4.2).  However, 17% of urban dwellers reported having smart heating controls installed compared with 14% of rural dwellers.

Dwelling Characteristics

Installations for energy efficiency were reported more among those in owner occupied properties (40%) than rental properties (21%).  Photovoltaic solar panels were more commonly reported among those in detached houses (15%) than semi-detached (8%) and terraced houses (6%).  Thermal solar panels were also more common among those living in detached properties than semi-detached properties.

Electricity Generation

Overall, 11% of people reported having the capability to generate their own electricity. This was higher, at 17% for those in detached houses compared with semi-detached houses, at 9%, and terraced houses, at 6% (See Table 4.2).  More of those in rural locations, at 15%, reported being able to generate their own electricity than those in urban locations, at 10%.  Further, most of those who generate their own electricity export or sell some of this back to the grid (See Table 4.3).