Regional insight – EU

Fast facts

• Primary energy consumption fell ‎by 8.5% in 2020, the largest fall ‎ever recorded for the region.
• The consumption of coal, oil, gas ‎and nuclear declined. The drop in ‎oil consumption (-14%) was ‎largely due to the impact of ‎restrictions on the transport ‎sector. 
• The decrease in coal consumption ‎‎(-19%) was mostly driven by the ‎power sector where coal now ‎accounts for 13% of total ‎generation, half of its share in ‎‎2009. ‎
• In contrast, gas demand fell by ‎only 3%, helped by resilient ‎demand in buildings and a ‎moderate drop in the power sector ‎due to low gas prices.
• Nuclear generation dropped by 78 ‎TWh: 58% of this drop was due to ‎lower French nuclear generation. ‎This is the lowest level of EU ‎nuclear generation since 1988.
• Renewables’ output increased by ‎‎6.7% in 2020 to 7.0 EJ and ‎accounts for 13% of primary ‎energy consumption, up from 11% ‎in 2019.‎
• The growth in renewables was ‎driven by increases in wind (+8%) ‎and solar (+16%). 
• Total power generation declined ‎by 4% to 2,771 TWh. Renewables ‎reached a 26% share of the ‎generation mix. Along with hydro ‎and nuclear, they represent 63% ‎of total generation, up from 49% ‎in 2009.‎
• Domestic fuel production fell, ‎especially natural gas which ‎declined by 22% to reach 48 bcm. 
• Net CO₂ emissions from energy ‎use dropped by 13% to 2.5 Gt. ‎They were 32% lower than 1990 ‎levels against a target of 20% ‎reduction for GHG emissions for ‎‎2020.