Lockdown measures have lowered electricity demand significantly, changing the power mix. Residential demand growth was substantially exceeded by decreases in commercial and industrial operations. Daily data collected for more than 30 nations, representing more than one-third of worldwide electricity use, reveal that the duration and severity of lockdowns affect the magnitude of demand drops. Every month of full lockdown reduced demand by 20% on average, or more than 1.5% on an annual basis.
Because their output is generally unaffected by demand, demand decreases have increased the share of renewables in power supply. Demand for all other electrical sources, including coal, gas, and nuclear, dropped. Global electricity demand would shrink 5% in 2020, according to our prediction.
Global electricity demand fell by 2.5% in the first quarter of 2020, despite most countries having lockdown measures in place for less than a month. China was the first to deploy containment measures in mid-January, and witnessed the world’s highest demand decline of 6.5% in the first quarter of 2020. Impacts were less severe in other parts of the world, where limitations were implemented gradually beginning in March.
Electricity demand declined 2.5% to 4.5% in Europe, Japan, Korea, and the United States in Q1 2020 compared to Q1 2019, owing not just to Covid19, but also to milder weather in January and February than in 2019.
Full lockdown measures reduced electricity use by 20% or more, with partial lockdowns having a smaller impact. After weather correction
Because of changes in how and when electricity is consumed during lockdowns, the shape of electricity demand over the course of the day has changed in some places, with the pattern on weekdays now approximating the pattern seen only on Sundays.
Hourly electricity demand data for Spain show these significant variations in weekday patterns, owing to rigorous lockdown measures that have significantly reduced commercial and industrial activity. Weekend trends are quite constant, owing primarily to residential demand.
