EU’s primary fossil energy use dropped to a record low of 67% in 2023

1 comment

1. # EU shows record-low energy use amid efficiency gains and renewables surge

   *New data reveal how Europe’s energy consumption habits are changing.*

   The EU’s gross available energy fell by 4.1% in 2023, but Europe is now doing more with less. Renewables now supply 19.5% of energy, with Nordic countries leading the transition.
   Total energy in the EU, what Eurostat calls gross available energy, fell by 4.1 % in 2023, the equivalent of about 380 million barrels of oil, marking a record low.

   Long-running efficiency policies have reduced waste across all sectors, while milder winters have decreased heating demand. The spike in fossil fuel prices caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has prompted additional conservation efforts.

   Put simply, Europe is managing to do more with less.

   The EU is still heavily reliant on fossil fuels (67%), but renewables now supply 19.5% of all energy in the EU, up 31% since 2013 and just one percentage point shy of natural gas.

   Nordic countries, such as Sweden, Finland, and Denmark, lead the green transition, with renewables accounting for 40–50% of their energy mix.

   Poland and the Czech Republic remain coal-reliant, with solid fuels still supplying roughly a third of their demand.

   ##Energy imports and consumption trends

   The EU only produces about 40% of the energy it consumes.

   Domestic primary production is down nearly 20% since 2013. Almost all of its oil (95%) and gas (90%) must be shipped or piped in.

   This leaves EU energy dependency at 58.4%, down from the 2022 record, but still higher than the average of the 2010s.

   Norway (not an EU member), the United States, Algeria, Qatar and a reduced flow from Russia remain the primary sources of oil and gas.

   Examining the breakdown of energy consumption, transportation is the largest consumer, accounting for 32% of demand.

   Households follow with 26.3%, while industry absorbs 24.6%. Services and agriculture together use 9.1%, and the remaining 8% is directed to non-energy purposes such as feedstocks and lubricants.

   Transport’s dominance has grown over the past three decades, primarily due to an increase in cars on the road and a thriving aviation industry.

   Road-fuel demand rebounded between 2021 and 2023 but is still below its 2019 peak, and international aviation remains 8% shy of pre-COVID levels.

   —————————–

   *Worldwide primary energy use is usually around 80%, so 67% is real progress, and its notable that in the Nordic countries its even lower. This is the latest 2023 data, and I expect its even lower in 2025, with more EVs in the road, more heatpumps and more solar and wind. This has the potential to fall quite fast, with 1 wh of electricity often able to replace 3wh of fossil fuels*

Comments are closed.