German energy consumption historically low
The cost of energy is exploding due to the Russian war of aggression. Saving is the order of the day. And consumers and industry in this country are doing just that. The expected annual consumption is the lowest in German history.
According to projections, energy consumption in Germany this year has fallen to its lowest level since reunification. In its forecast, the Working Group on Energy Balances (AG Energiebilanzen) expects a decrease of 7.9 percent to 10,791 petajoules (= 2998 terawatt hours). This means that the consumption of so-called primary energies in Germany is more than a quarter below the previous peak of 1990, as the AG announced in Berlin. Experts had already forecast energy consumption of this magnitude at the beginning of November.
To put this into perspective: according to the Federal Network Agency, 484 terawatt hours of electricity and 847 terawatt hours of natural gas were consumed in Germany in 2022. One terawatt hour is one billion kilowatt hours. The main reason for the decrease was the decline in economic output. "Energy-intensive industries in particular recorded declines in production, which had a noticeable impact on energy consumption," it said.
The persistently high energy price level had a significant influence on the reduction in energy consumption. "Although import prices for the most important import energies fell noticeably over the course of the year, prices are still significantly higher than in 2021."
Weather hardly plays a role
The slightly warmer weather compared to the previous year only had a weak effect on reducing consumption. The only consumption-increasing effect in 2023 came from demographic developments: "Due to the influx of 1.35 million people, the total population grew to almost 85.5 million people."
Mineral oil continues to account for the largest share of the energy mix at 35.9% (previous year: 35.0%). Natural gas follows with 24.5 percent (23.6). At 19.6% in 2023 (2022: 17.7%), renewable energies were ahead of coal: hard coal accounted for 8.7% and lignite for 8.5%. In 2022, coal still had a combined share of 19.6 percent. Nuclear energy only accounted for 0.7 percent due to the nuclear phase-out in spring. The remaining 2.1 percent includes electricity imports, which exceeded exports in 2023.
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- Given the high electricity price and the need to save due to the Russian conflict, industries are focusing on increasing energy efficiency in their operations to reduce costs.
- To combat the escalating electricity price, many companies in the industry are turning their attention towards sourcing raw materials like oil and coal alternatively, with a shift towards renewable energies being a key priority.
- The current scenario presents an opportunity for coal-fired power plants to reassess their role in the energy supply chain, as higher gas prices fuel the adoption of more energy-efficient technologies and renewable energy sources.
- As the demand for gas increases, the cost of extracting and transporting it creates challenges in maintaining a stable energy supply for industries and consumers alike, further underscoring the need to explore and invest in alternative sources of energy, such as renewable energies.
Source: www.ntv.de
