When comparing with the 2017-2019 average, primary energy consumption decreased in all EU Member States, mainly due to restrictions imposed to limit the spread of COVID-19.

EU energy consumption in 2020 reached the lowest levels since 1990 (the first year for which data are available), which is largely explained by the effects of the pandemic. It peaked in 2006 when primary energy consumption was 15.1% above the 2020 reduction target and final energy consumption was 9.0% above the 2020 target.

Compared with the 2017-2019 average, primary energy consumption decreased by 9.9% at the EU level and final energy consumption by 8.4%. A significant part of this sharp drop is due to COVID-19 related restrictions.

When comparing with the 2017-2019 average, primary energy consumption decreased in all EU Member States. The highest decreases were recorded in Estonia (21.2%), followed by Spain (14.8%) and Cyprus (13.4%), while Lithuania (0.7%), Hungary (2.5%) and Romania (4.5%) registered the smallest reductions.

The same general drop was also registered in the final energy consumption compared with the 2017-2019 average. The highest drops were registered in Malta (17.4%), Cyprus (15.9%) and Spain (14.2%) and the smallest in Romania (0.3%), Hungary (2.9%) and Sweden (2.9%).

Overall in 2020, primary energy consumption in the EU dropped sharply to 1,236 million tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe), which is 5.8% better than the efficiency target for 2020, thus clearly outperforming it.

However, this is still 9.6% away from the 2030 target, implying that efforts to improve efficiency need to be maintained in the years to come.

Final energy consumption reached 907 Mtoe: 5.4% better than the efficiency target for 2020 and 7.2% away from the 2030 target.

Source: In-Cyprus