COMPARING SCOTLAND TO THE UK
It is of interest to compare some of the energy generation and use characteristics for Scotland with the overall UK position.
In 2002, Scotland consumed slightly more energy per head of population than the UK: Scotland consumes 9.1% of UK energy but has 8.5% of the UK population. The distribution of energy use per head across the various sectors is shown in Figure 8 4.
Figure 8: Energy consumption per capita, UK & Scotland in 2002
Scotland consumes more energy per head in all sectors except transport. This reflects a greater use of energy for heating which, in turn, reflects Scotland's harsher climate and differences in building stock. It also derives from the above-average use of energy in oil refining.
The distribution of overall energy use across different fuel types is fairly similar between Scotland and the UK, although there is a slightly lower demand in Scotland for coal and a higher consumption of gas and electricity.