Non-linearities in electricity demand and temperature: Parametric versus non-parametric methods

This paper investigates the relationship between outside air temperature and the residential demand for space heating energy. These non-linearities are investigated empirically using high frequency panel data for a sample of UK households, and both parametric and non-parametric methods for identifying non-linearities are examined. The econometric evidence finds support for important non-linearities across the range of observed temperatures and points to limitations in the use of parametric functional forms.