Energy consumption in the EU has decreased by 6% since 2008

February 17, 2013.

    Twenty-three Member States registered decreases in their energy consumption between 2008 and 2011; only four registered increases, according to data published on 13 February by Eurostat, EU statistical office.
    
    Gross inland energy consumption in the EU27 fell from a level of 1 800 million tonnes of oil equivalent (toe) in 2008, to 1 700 mn toe in 2011. Between 2008 and 2011, energy consumption in the EU27 has decreased by 6%, according to Eurostat.
    
    The largest falls were recorded in Lithuania (-24.5%), Ireland and Greece (both -12.3%), Romania (-10.2%), Spain and the United Kingdom (both -9.4%), and the highest increases in Malta (+16.9%) and Estonia (+4.8%).
    
    In 2011, the Member States the least dependent on energy imports were Estonia (12%), Romania (21%), the Czech Republic (29%), the Netherlands (30%), Poland (34%) and the United Kingdom (36%). Denmark (-9%) was a net exporter of energy and therefore had a negative dependence rate. The highest energy dependence rates were registered in Malta (101%), Luxembourg (97%), Cyprus (93%) and Ireland (89%).
    
    The five largest energy consumers in 2011 in the EU27 were Germany (316 mn toe, -7.7% compared with 2008), France (260 mn toe, -4.6%), the United Kingdom (199 mn toe, -9.4%), Italy (173 mn toe, -4.8%) and Spain (129 mn toe, -9.4%), which together accounted for nearly two thirds of total EU27 consumption.
    
    The energy dependence rate, defined as net imports divided by gross consumption, was 54% in the EU27 in 2011, nearly stable since 2008, the Eurostat data say.