Diffusion and consumption of gas and electricity for lighting in Spain cities during the second energy transition (1901-1934)

Abstract

This paper deals with the study of two basic energies, gas and electricity, from a demand perspective, and under a comparative approach. The source that will be used is the Estadística del impuesto sobre el consumo de luz de gas, electricidad y carburo de calcio, which is complemented/ contrasted with others (Estadística Minera, Datos estadísticos técnicos de las fábricas de gas españolas, local monographs, etc). The main issues will be their geographical diffusion, placing it in the context of the modernization of urban structures, as well as the levels of energy expenditure, which are linked to the global changes in consumption patterns, both from a spatial and temporal perspective. All this will be carried out in a chronological framework, over the first third of the twentieth century, which will open new perspectives and debates about the specific way in which the process of energy transition from gas to electricity was carried out in Spain.