Abstract
Based on the results of a survey conducted in 2007 for 452 households (HHs) in Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, the electricity demands of 5 main electrical appliances: television, refrigerator, air conditioner (AC), washing machine, and fan have been estimated up to 2030. Employing 3 scenarios for gross domestic product growth rates, for the first time, the trends of electricity demand associated with economic development within the specific boundaries of urban (UB), peri-urban (PU), and rural (RR) areas were demonstrated. In 2007, UB HHs were found to be the main consumers, using 2.2 and 2.9 times more electricity than PU and RR HHs. An increasing trend has been recognized in all study areas; the annual electricity demand growth rates in UB, PU, and RR areas are 1.1-1.5%, 2.6-2.7%, and 1.3-2.1% for the 2007-2030 period. Among the 5 main appliances, cooling devices (fans and AC) consume the most electricity presently, and will continue to do so in future.
