10 things you didn't know about your gas and electricity

Do you know where your electricity comes from when you flick on the light?

For many Brits the only time we think about gas and electricity is when the inevitable bill drops through the letter box each month or during an unexpected power cut.

Even with climate change and energy efficiency so high on the agenda, very few people know where the energy that powers the TV comes from or how that affects the price we all pay.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change recently released information on how we used our energy in 2009 – which included some figures that might make you pause for thought before flicking on the kettle for that second cup of tea!

So, here are ten things that you probably never knew about your gas and electricity.

1. More energy is coming from renewable sources
In 2009 the UK produced 6.7 per cent of its energy from renewable sources and saw an 18 per cent increase in generation capacity from renewables. Current targets for the UK set out by the European Union are for the country to produce 15 per cent of its energy from renewables by 2020.

2. The biggest growth has been seen in offshore wind.
Offshore wind farms saw a 61 per cent increase in capacity during 2009 and onshore wind farm capacity grew by 24 per cent – suggesting that an even higher percentage of power could come from renewables in 2010. The amount of energy generated from the burning of waste or biomass grew by 11 per cent.

3. Our homes use the most electricity
While it's easy to imagine that the industrial sector with its factories and billowing chimneys consume most of our electricity, this isn't the case. In fact, our homes consumed 122.5 TWh (terawatt hours) compared to 98.1 TWh used by the industrial sector and 93 TWh used by the service sector in 2009.

4. Heating accounts for most of our energy consumption...
A huge 58 per cent of the energy we use in the domestic sector goes on heating our homes. Almost a quarter is used heating up water, while lighting and appliances, and cooking account for 16 per cent and three per cent respectively – figures that might encourage you to dig out your woolly jumper when it gets chilly!

5. ...but if improvements hadn't been made we would be using more
The DECC estimates that if advancements had not been made in insulation and in the efficiency of heating systems in the past 40 years then our homes would be consuming twice as much electricity as they currently are.

6. We used less electricity in the recession
The fall in economic activity during 2009 meant that by the time fuels – such as coal, oil and gas - were turned into electricity or petrol, the amount of energy we used dropped by 6.7 per cent. Our homes now use the lowest levels of energy recorded since 1995.

7. The amount of energy used for transport continues to fall
In real terms the amount of energy we use for transport has doubled since 1997, but 2009 marked the second consecutive yearly drop. In the past decade, the amount of energy consumed for air travel has increased by 74 per cent, in contrast with 34 per cent from the railways and just five per cent for road vehicles.

8. Most of our energy came from gas in 2009
The price differences between coal and gas last year meant that gas accounted for 45 per cent of all electricity generated in 2009. There was also an increase in the amount of electricity generated by nuclear power and - as both these fuels produce less carbon that coal – this contributed to the drop in carbon emissions.

9. Carbon emissions fell last year
The combination of lower energy consumption and different types of fuel smeans carbon emissions dropped by 9.7 per cent last year – a decrease of 19 per cent on emissions figures from 1990.

10. The UK buys in more energy than it produces
Despite the fact that the amount of fuel that we used dropped in 2009, the UK still didn't produce enough to meet demand. Since 2004 the UK has been defined as a net importer of fuel – including oil and electricity – although it is still a net exporter of petrol.