EU energy consumption level falls to 20-year low

(guardian-, 9 Feb 2015) Trend points to energy efficiency but Europe remains heavily dependent on fuel imports.

Energy consumption in the European Union has fallen to levels last seen more than two decades ago, statistics published on Monday showed .

The dramatic drop in annual consumption – in 2013, the year to which the new research applies, it was down by more than 9% from its 2006 peak – reflects in part the continuing economic troubles in the eurozone, but also efforts taken by member states and businesses to cut energy use and improve efficiency.

Despite the plunge, Europe remains heavily dependent on fuel imports, with more than half of energy needs supplied by production from abroad, including the Middle East and Norway. Under oil prices at the time, that amounted to a cost of more than €400bn (£297bn) in imports in the year in question, but that figure is now volatile owing to the effects of a sharply lower oil price and the exchange rate of the Euro.

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guardian-, 9 Feb 2015: EU energy consumption level falls to 20-year low