Climate change impacts on electricity demand

Climate change is expected to lead to changes in ambient temperature, wind speed, humidity, precipitation and cloud cover. As electricity demand is closely influenced by these climatic variables, there is likely to be an impact on demand patterns. The potential impact of future changes in climate on electricity demand can be seen on a daily and seasonal basis through the fluctuation of weather patterns. The magnitude of the impact will depend on the electricity use patterns in the absence of climate change, as well as long-term socio-economic trends. As developing countries improve their standard of living, their use of air conditioning and other weather-dependent consumption may increase their sensitivity to climate change. This paper reviews existing studies on climate impacts on electricity demand and outlines how this is being assessed for the rapidly growing Thailand electricity sector.