Electricity emits 75% more CO2 than district heating
Electricity is a high quality form of energy which can be used for many purposes to power fridges, motors, lights, electric panel radiators, etc. But electricity costs, and pollutes more, than other forms of energy.
Electricity pollutes most
Electricity costs significantly more than district heating or natural gas. This is partly due to higher energy prices and partly due to taxation. One reason for the higher taxation is that electricity pollutes more than other forms of energy.
Emits 75% more CO2 than district heating
If you have electric heating, it is not unusual to use 12,000 kWh of electricity per year to heat your home. Generating 12,000 kWh in Denmark releases around 6,000 kg of CO2. Switching to district heating reduces emissions by 75%, which is around 1,500 kg of CO2 per year.
The above calculation takes all forms of electricity generation into account (i.e. production by coal, natural gas, waste incineration, and wind turbines).
This overall calculation also allows for a 15% increase in the amount of heat used. This is because consumers generally tend to increase their consumption when switching to a more cost effective and environmentally friendly form of heating such as district heating.
Page last updated 25.03.2009