UK PRIMARY ENERGY-CONSUMPTION AND THE CHANGING STRUCTURE OF FINAL DEMAND

The author estimates the extent to which changes in the structure of final demand may have contributed to the generally falling primary energy - GDP ratio in the UK over the last 25 years. The influence of energy price on this ratio is also investigated. With the exception of the period following the 1973 energy crisis final demand structure does not seem to have contributed to the fall in the primary energy - GDP ratio. In fact it seems to have had a small effect in the opposite direction. The growth in private motoring and in the energy required for making capital equipment are important in explaining this effect, while changes in stocks are important in understanding post-1973 behaviour. © 1979.