Energy consumption in the EU increased by 1% in 2017

The EU has committed itself to binding energy efficiency target of reducing energy consumption by 20% by 2020. The primary energy consumption should amount to no more than 1 483 Mtoe and final energy consumption to no more than 1 086 Mtoe in 2020. The revised Energy Efficiency Directive provides for a new energy efficiency target for 2030: a primary energy consumption of no more than 1 273 Mtoe and a final energy consumption of no more than 956 Mtoe (equivalent to a reduction of 32.5%). In 2017, primary energy consumption in the EU was 5.3% above the efficiency target for 2020. Since 1990, the first year for which data are available, consumption has fallen by 0.4%. However, over the years, the primary energy consumption has fluctuated greatly. It peaked in 2006 (1 729 Mtoe representing a 16.6% gap from the 2020 target), while a record low was reached in 2014 (1 511 Mtoe representing a 1.9% gap from the 2020 target). Over the last three years the consumption rose again, to 1 537 Mtoe in 2015, 1 547 Mtoe in 2016 and 1 561 Mtoe in 2017. For more information on the EU's Energy Efficiency Targets and their findings, click here for the official Press release.For more on Eurostat's Energy overview, click here