§ Mr. Woofasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what advice his Department has given to industry on the aims 9W of energy conservation and the use of energy more efficiently so as to conserve resources;
(2) what advice his Department has given to industry towards potential savings and on a range of measures and equipment for the better use of energy.
§ Mr. EadieOur energy conservation campaign seeks to encourage all consumers to achieve the maximum economic efficiency of energy use in order to ease the balance of payments problem and avoid wasting finite and costly resources. For industry in particular, we have recommended firms to appoint energy managers, to consult their workpeople and to include energy conservation in company reports, and we have publicised savings achieved by certain firms to encourage others. A booklet giving advice on energy saving is to be published next month and publication of a series of fuel efficiency bulletins will begin later in the year. Initial planning of a film on the efficient use of energy in industry is also in hand.
§ Mr. Woofasked the Secretary of State for Energy what study has been made for energy conservation of the best choice of primary energy sources, the avoidance of waste, improvements of efficiency, and changes in the pattern of demand to save energy; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EadieChanges in the pattern of demand and in the balance between different primary energy sources can have a significant effect on the efficiency with which energy is used. In guiding consumers' choices towards the most desirable pattern the proper economic pricing of energy can play an important part. Studies of energy conservation in its many aspects are proceeding. My Department's Advisory Council on Energy Conservation is studying a very wide range of energy conservation measures and technical developments are also being examined by various specialist study groups.
§ Mr. Woofasked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the latest effects of energy conservation on the rate of growth of demand for energy and energy consumption.
§ Mr. EadieIt has not been found possible to isolate the effects of any one10W factor among the many that together influence the rate of growth in energy consumption. Nor is it possible to differentiate between the rate of growth of "demand for energy" and of "energy consumption".
It is estimated that total energy consumption this year is currently running at about 4 to 5 per cent. below the level of the same period two years ago. Because of the miners' strike and the three-day working week, no meaningful comparisons with 1974 are possible. Much of the drop is due to lower industrial activity and further work and a longer run of figures are needed to establish how much of the reduction is attributable to energy savings.
§ Mr. Woofasked the Secretary of State for Energy what improvement has been achieved with energy conservation in the generation of electricity.
§ Mr. EadieThe main contribution to energy conservation in electricity generation comes from improvement of the thermal efficiency of power stations. I understand from the CEGB that an increase of one-tenth of 1 per cent. in annual system thermal efficiency represented in 1974–75 a real saving of the cost of production of about £4 million in fuel costs and that the board's conventional power stations in fact achieved a record thermal efficiency of 30.56 per cent. in 1974–75 compared with 29.78 per cent. in 1973–74. This improvement brought about a reduction in fuel consumption of 2¼ million tons eoal equivalent and represented a saving of £28 million in the board's fuel bill.