The Impact of COVID-19 on Electricity Demand Profiles: A Case Study of Selected Business Clients in Poland

Marcin Malec, Grzegorz Kinelski and Marzena Czarnecka
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Marcin Malec: Division of Energy Economics, Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. J. Wybickiego 7A, 31-261 Kraków, Poland
Marzena Czarnecka: Department of Law and Insurance, College of Finance, University of Economics Katowice, ul. 1 Maja 47, 40-287 Katowice, Poland

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 17, 1-17

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes in electricity demand and, consequently, electricity consumption profiles. Given the rapid changes in energy prices, it is significant from the perspective of energy companies, and forecasting consumed energy volume. A necessity for accurate energy volume planning forces the need for analyzing consumers’ behaviors during the pandemic, especially under lockdowns, to prepare for the possibility of another pandemic wave. Many business clients analyzed in the paper are economic entities functioning in sectors under restrictions. That is why analyzing the pandemic’s impact on the change in energy consumption profiles and volume of these entities is particularly meaningful. The article analyzes the pandemic and restrictions’ impact on the total change of energy consumption volume and demand profiles. The analysis was conducted basing on data collected from a Polish energy trading and sales company. It focused on the energy consumption of its corporate clients. Analyzed data included aggregated energy consumption volumes for all company’s customers and key groups of economic entities under restrictions. The analysis demonstrates the influence of pandemic restrictions on energy consumption in the group of business clients. Significant differences are observable among various sectors of the economy. The research proves that the largest drops in energy consumption are related to shopping centers and offices. Altogether, the restrictions have caused a 15–23% energy consumption drop during the first lockdown and a maximum 11% during the second against expected values.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; lockdown; electricity demand profiles; energy consumption (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (20)

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