Exploring the Changing Gap of Residential Energy Consumption per Capita in China and the Netherlands: A Comparative Analysis of Driving Forces
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The main target is: why compare a big country as China with a little country as Netherlands? China have several kind of climate zone, Netherland just one ... it is very hard to find some of common, ... I ehink you must explain it.
In introduction I very appreciated if you report a definition of REC (residential energy consumption) and how to calculate/estimate it.
In formula (5) and (6) you report two values 18 and 26 as indoor air temperatuare (I presume), please explain how you define it. e.g. Germany define 22°C as indoor temperature in winter, Spain and Italy 20°C.
Minor remarks
Figure 1. please remove double y-axis, one y-axis is enough.
I suggest to edit your formulas.
Author Response
The main target is: why compare a big country as China with a little country as Netherlands? China have several kind of climate zone, Netherland just one ... it is very hard to find some of common, ... I ehink you must explain it.
RE: Thanks for your comments. In the revised version, we explain more fully the reasons for comparing the REC in China and the Netherlands. The main reasons are as follows: although China and the Netherlands differ greatly in terms of land area and population, we compare their residential energy consumption per capita (RECpc), which is not affected by the size of the two countries. As an typical developed country as well as OECD country, the Netherlands' GDP per capita is more than five times that of China as a typical developing country (non-OECD country). Therefore, the analysis of RECpc in the Netherlands can be a valuable reference for the study of China's RECpc in the future. Through further comparing the decomposition results in China and the Netherlands, it is easy to understand how the role of the driving force behind RECpc growth will be after China's RECpc is saturated. More importantly, the trends of residential energy consumption per capita (RECpc) in China and the Netherlands are highly consistent with those of RECpc in developing and developed countries, respectively, supporting the selection of both nations as typical examples. In addition, this study is the result of a Sino-Dutch international cooperation project 'Energy Efficiency of Households in Cities: A Multi-method Analysis', which aims to compare the characteristics of China's and the Netherlands' residential energy consumption, and to provide references for future residential energy policies for both sides. The cooperation has provided us with an opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the REC characteristics in both sides.
In introduction I very appreciated if you report a definition of REC (residential energy consumption) and how to calculate/estimate it.
RE: Thanks for your suggestion. We have report the definition of REC and how to calculate it by foot note on page 2.
In formula (5) and (6) you report two values 18 and 26 as indoor air temperatuare (I presume), please explain how you define it. e.g. Germany define 22°C as indoor temperature in winter, Spain and Italy 20°C.
RE: Thanks for your comments. We have explain why we use 18°C and 26°C as a reference to calculate HDD and CDD in the 2nd paragraph on page 7.
Minor remarks
Figure 1. please remove double y-axis, one y-axis is enough.
RE: Thanks for your suggestion. We have re-drawn the figure already.
I suggest to edit your formulas.
RE: Thanks for your suggestion. We have re-edited the formulas.
Reviewer 2 Report
This article analyses the differences in residential energy consumption per capita (RECpc) in the period 2001 to 2015 between China, developing country + high economic growth and the Netherlands
1) Why were these two countries chosen?
2) Why the last year 2015? 5 years ago?
A world map with the location of the two countries and some characteristics such as area, population, type of housing, apartment or dwelling, etc. and climatic parameters: Degree-days, duration of the heating season, heat stroke, etc. is essential
Netherlands needs cooling? And China, needs heating and cooling?
Table 1, first column 01-02, what is the meaning? Why not: 01/01/2001 to 12/31/2001
Have the EU directives, 2002 and 2010 been implemented in Netherlands?
Author Response
This article analyses the differences in residential energy consumption per capita (RECpc) in the period 2001 to 2015 between China, developing country + high economic growth and the Netherlands
1) Why were these two countries chosen?
RE: Thanks for your comments. In the revised version, we explain more fully the reasons for comparing the REC in China and the Netherlands. The main reasons are as follows: although China and the Netherlands differ greatly in terms of land area and population, we compare their residential energy consumption per capita (RECpc), which is not affected by the size of the two countries. As an typical developed country as well as OECD country, the Netherlands' GDP per capita is more than five times that of China as a typical developing country (non-OECD country). Therefore, the analysis of RECpc in the Netherlands can be a valuable reference for the study of China's RECpc in the future. Through further comparing the decomposition results in China and the Netherlands, it is easy to understand how the role of the driving force behind RECpc growth will be after China's RECpc is saturated. More importantly, the trends of residential energy consumption per capita (RECpc) in China and the Netherlands are highly consistent with those of RECpc in developing and developed countries, respectively, supporting the selection of both nations as typical examples. In addition, this study is the result of a Sino-Dutch international cooperation project 'Energy Efficiency of Households in Cities: A Multi-method Analysis', which aims to compare the characteristics of China's and the Netherlands' residential energy consumption, and to provide references for future residential energy policies for both sides. The cooperation has provided us with an opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the REC characteristics in both sides.
2) Why the last year 2015? 5 years ago?
RE: Thanks for your comments. We have explained why the research deadline for the paper is 2015 in the first paragraph on page 5.
A world map with the location of the two countries and some characteristics such as area, population, type of housing, apartment or dwelling, etc. and climatic parameters: Degree-days, duration of the heating season, heat stroke, etc. is essential
RE: Thanks for your comments. We have added an additional table (table1) to compare the characteristics for both countries such as area, population type of housing, HDD and so on.
Netherlands needs cooling? And China, needs heating and cooling?
RE: Thanks for your comments. Our calculations show that the CDD in the Netherlands is 0, which means that the Netherlands does not need cooling. However, in the section of research methods, we still listed the calculation formula of CDD and applied the formula to calculate it. And in China, heating and cooling are both needed.
Table 1, first column 01-02, what is the meaning? Why not: 01/01/2001 to 12/31/2001
RE: Thanks for your suggestion. We have revised accordingly.
Have the EU directives, 2002 and 2010 been implemented in Netherlands?
RE: Thanks for your comments. Of course, EU directives were implemented in the Netherlands. Actually, several energy efficiency policies like 'National Energy Efficiency Action Plan' as a part of the obligation to report to the European Commission under the Energy Efficiency Directive were implemented, which led to the sharp decline of energy intensity in the Netherlands. We have added the explanation in our study on page 12.
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
no comments.
Author Response
Thanks for your recommendation.
Reviewer 2 Report
Table 1, first column 01-02, what is the meaning? Why not: 01/01/2001 to 12/31/2001
Table 1, first column 2001-2002, what is the meaning? Please clarify
Author Response
Table 1, first column 2001-2002, what is the meaning? Please clarify
RE: Thanks for your comments. We have clarified the meaning of 2001-2002 accordingly on page 8.
