Municipal Energy Efficiency in Portugal: An Analysis of Electricity and Natural Gas Consumption

Abstract

Analysing energy consumption efficiency is essential for understanding energy resource consumption patterns, identifying the economic consequences, and developing effective public policies. The study investigates energy consumption efficiency levels in Portuguese municipalities in order to analyse disparities in energy consumption efficiency. The aim is to observe the possible relationship between population density and the energy consumed by residents. The study uses the DEA model to detect benchmarking patterns, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement in energy consumption practices. The results suggest that there are serious disparities in energy consumption efficiency between Portuguese municipalities and a significant positive correlation between population density and the amount of energy consumed. The disparities can be attributed to the different levels of adoption of efficient energy consumption practices. The results point to the need to define public policies aimed at promoting more efficient energy consumption practices. The research emphasises the importance of implementing more effective public policies that encourage the adoption of sustainable energy consumption practices by residents. The conclusions have important practical implications for the formulation of public policies aimed at local energy efficiency and the development of sustainable energy consumption.