Which UK Sectors Consume The Most Electricity | Ways To Reduce Your Consumption

Electricity usage and costs are constantly changing across sectors and finding ways to reduce them can be very challenging. This blog outlines UK electricity consumption by sector and provides practical tips to reduce energy costs and waste. 

Sectors with high electricity consumption

This data from the Government statistics (ECUK) on energy consumption. 

Services 

The services sector includes: 

• Hospitality businesses 
• Retail
• Offices
• Public service buildings 

In this sector, electricity usage increased by 3.8% between 2023 and 2024. As the UK moves towards Net Zero, there is a push to replace gas boilers with electric or renewable alternatives and to install smarter electricity meters, which may be driving this increase. Electricity is used for lighting, powering technology like computers or tills, heating or air conditioning and the machinery used in kitchens. 

Some services, like hospitality, need to maintain a high base energy load due to 24/7 refrigeration, lighting and security systems. The hospitality sector, and others like it, saw a huge spike in energy costs following COVID when services were fully available again. This makes energy-saving techniques very important for business survival. 

Transport 

While more energy is used for petrol or diesel (92.4%) in the transport sector, electricity use is rising, driven by the electrification of modern road transport and rail systems. Whilst the rail system is developing electric options, electricity consumed by electric vehicles (EVs) exceeds that of the rail sector.

Overall, electricity use in transport remains small (2.2%), but the year-on-year increase in EVs on the road is significant (21% between 2023 and 2024). 

Industry

The industry sector used 7.21 Mtoe in 2024, a 2.7% decrease since 2023. Whilst electricity powers both basic and heavy-duty industry machinery and technology across all sub-sectors, industrial electricity consumption has been in long-term decline. This is due to de-industrialisation and significant improvements in motor and equipment efficiency.

Ways to reduce electricity consumption or waste

Responding to these growing or fluctuating energy costs will depend on the specific sector that you are in. However, there are some key ways that all industries could benefit from when reducing their consumption of energy, including: 

• Get an audit or quote from a trusted business electricity supplier who can evaluate what strategies are best. Form a reliable client-supplier relationship in which your energy needs are met and your concerns are heard. 
• Implement basic energy-saving strategies, such as automatic lighting, LED bulbs and staff training to close doors or turn off lights.
• Transition to clean energy, where long-term savings are more likely and future restrictions are less likely to affect you. 
• Use smart meters, or more specifically, half-hourly electricity tariffs, to automatically send more accurate readings to your supplier, which will make any spikes clear and help you reduce energy waste. They also save you money by basing your energy costs on evidence rather than predictions. 

Why D-ENERGi can help you reduce energy consumption and costs

At D-ENERGi, we work with a range of businesses to support their individual needs and develop solutions to reduce electricity costs. With our competitive price matching and product range, we can be flexible to meet your company’s needs. 

From standard meters to smart half-hourly meters, providing both basic electricity and 100% British-sourced wind power, we are happy to talk you through our options. 

If you have any questions and are looking to transition to cleaner or more cost-effective electricity solutions, get a no-obligation free quote or simply contact us!