According to the report, the country’s final energy consumption fell by 2.7% from the previous year—the fourth consecutive yearly decrease—as a result of progress in energy conservation efforts since the giant earthquake of March 2011.
Broken down by sector, corporate energy use fell 2.1%, while household use declined 4.1%, and transport use slipped 3.3%. The greatest decrease was seen in the household sector, attributable to a relatively cool summer and warm winter.
The domestic supply of primary energy contracted 3.8%. By source, the country’s reliance on nuclear power remained at zero as a result of the continued shutdown of all reactors after the Fukushima Daiichi accident. Oil use accounted for 41.3%, down 1.4 points from the previous year. Coal use was up 25.3%, increasing slightly, with natural gas also at 25.3%, up 1.1 points.
In comparison with FY05, the ratio for oil was 21.9% lower, while that for natural gas was up 50.4%, showing progress in fuel conversion. Renewables and unutilized energy were 39.3% higher than FY05.
Energy-derived CO2 emissions, which had increased in each of the four previous years owing to the suspension of all nuclear power plants after the 2011 earthquake, fell from the previous year by 3.6% as a result of fuel conversion, energy conservation, and other efforts.
