Municipal energy profiles

The energy and CO₂ balance consists of three parts. Energy consumption, energy generation and the resulting greenhouse gas emissions. For the calculation and derivation, different data bases with varying data quality are used.

A distinction is made between consumption data and statistical data. Consumption data show actual consumption in the year under review and can be requested from network operators for all grid-based energy sources, such as gas, electricity and district heating/district steam. Data is either available for the individual sectors or only total consumption can be provided, which is then distributed to the sectors on the basis of regional or national data.

However, there is also local data available which does not indicate the total amount of consumption, but the installed capacity and the number of plants. With the help of the installed capacity and assumptions on run time and efficiency, the consumption can then be extrapolated. This is the case, for example, for heat consumption from chimney sweep data and subsidy atlases, as well as for power generation plants.

If such data is not available, the consumption values are determined using statistical data. The derivation of statistical consumption data is based on Hesse-wide or national consumption values, which are extrapolated down to the municipalities on the basis of regional factors - e.g. the number of inhabitants or employees. It is important to emphasize that the result is always only an approximation of the actual consumption value and that deviations are possible.

The energy consumed by mobility is calculated by means of a population balance. This means that average distances travelled and the mix of means of transportation are used to calculate the transport performance - the total distance travelled annually - per means of transport and inhabitant. Based on the number of inhabitants and specific energy consumption, energy consumption can be calculated by energy source, e.g. gasoline and electricity.

The data on energy generation comes largely from a database that includes energy generation plants in the region, but also from subsidy atlases and chimney sweep data. Often, only the installed capacity is known, from which the amount of electricity and heat generated can be calculated based on running times and efficiencies. The data on renewable electricity generation comes from the energy monitoring of the Hessian Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy, Transport and Housing, for which the Hessen Agentur has been commissioned.

The carbon footprint is calculated by energy source and takes into account all greenhouse gases produced by energy consumption, e.g. nitrous oxide and CO₂. Since each energy source generates different amounts of emissions per energy consumed, the energy consumption per energy source is used to calculate the greenhouse gases emitted. The federal electricity mix is used for total electricity consumption, as much of the electricity is imported into the region.