Dependence of Energy Consumption on Air Temperature in Moscow

M. A. Lokoshchenko and N. A. Nikolaeva

The dependence of energy consumption on air temperature for every day of the period from 1990 to 2015 is for the first time studied for mid-latitudes using the long-term observational data of the Moscow State University Meteorological Observatory. It is demonstrated that this dependence is generally descending in the Moscow region: energy consumption decreases as air temperature rises. At the same time, the energy consumption increase slows down due to energy saving in case of severe frosts, whereas the opposite trend is manifested in case of abnormally hot weather, that is, the energy consumption increase along with the air temperature rise due to additional consumption for air conditioning. The optimum temperature for energy saving is 18°C. The relationship between energy consumption and air humidity characteristics is analyzed. There is almost no link with relative humidity, while in the link with the partial pressure of water vapor, the dependence of the latter on air temperature is reflected indirectly.