The regions that consume the most are located in the south of France. Several towns in Occitania are on the podium. We explain why.
Electricity consumption in France represents a quarter of the energy spent in France. And the inhabitants who consume the most live mainly in regions where it is hot.
Indeed, according to the collection of data on energy expenditure by the ORE agency (Energy Network Operators) and Enedis and on the population, by INSEE, it is possible to identify the territories where we consumes the most electricity.
Knowing that the electricity consumption per capita amounts to 2,223 kWh per year and that the residential sector represented in 2019, 36% of the total electricity consumption, as reported on the site data.gouv.fr.
The ranking of the cities that consume the most
In the top 10 cities in France (with more than 50,000 inhabitants) that consume the most, three are located in Occitania. The established average consumption per capita.
- 1. Fréjus with 3.15 MWh
- 2. Cannes with 2.93 MWh
- 3. Antibes with 2.89 MWh
- 4. Montauban with 2.85 MWh
- 5. Narbonne with 2.77 MWh
- 6. Grasse with 2.68 MWh
- 7. Hyères with 2.59 MWh
- 8. Arles with 2.51 MWh
- 9. Béziers with 2.50 MWh
- 10. Aix-en-Provence with 2.46 MWh
Nîmes comes in 19th position with 2.11 MWh, Perpignan in 25th with 2.01 MWh and Toulouse 30th with 1.97 MWh.
Montpellier in 37th position (with 1.88 MWh) exceeds Paris, which is in 41st position with 1.82 MWh.
In large cities, consumption in Bordeaux is 2.21 MWh per inhabitant and in Nice 2.12 MWh.
Ranking of cities that consume the least
In the top 10 cities in France (with more than 50,000 inhabitants) that consume the least.
- Créteil with 1.09 MWh
- Bobigny with 1.17 MWh
- Aubervilliers with 1.20 MWh
- Belfort with 1.20 MWh
- Nanterre with 1.21 MWh
- Teal with 1.26 MWh
- Vénissieux with 1.28 MWh
- Epinay-sur-Seine with 1.29 MWh
- Saint-Étienne with 1.34 MWh
- Aulnay-sur-Bois with 1.35 MWh
In the big cities, consumption in Rennes is 1.38 MWh per inhabitant and in Mulhouse 1.41 MWh.
The reasons for such a discrepancy
But why are it the southern regions that heat up the least in winter that come in pole position? At first glance this does not seem logical but certain elements can give the explanation.
Heating mode: households located in the north of France would be more equipped with heating using fossil fuels such as gas, oil, wood than with electric heaters compared to the south.
The quality of insulation of the dwellings: the thermal insulation of housing is a crucial point in energy consumption. The famous energy colanders are extremely consuming electricity.
The regions located further north and therefore colder and more humid in winter would be better insulated and therefore less energy-intensive.
Thermosensitivity: the variations of the thermometer lead in France to an increase in heating. That is to say that when temperatures drop consumers tend to raise their thermostat by 1 degree. The difference between the outside and inside temperature is widening
The air conditioning : electricity consumption due to air conditioning is far from negligible. So if winter temperatures are lower in the South, summer temperatures are higher and the use of air conditioning to cool your home is necessarily more frequent.
