Between heating demand and traffic: How Europe's everyday life is slowing down the energy transition

Energy consumption in the European Union: Where is the greatest demand

In one year, EU member states consume approximately 842,140 toe (kilotonnes of oil equivalent) – equivalent to almost 9.8 billion kWh. According to Eurostat, energy demand in the EU is divided into four different sectors: industry, transport, commercial and public services, and households. Across Europe, the transport sector is the largest energy consumer at 33 percent, followed by private households at 27 percent and industry at 26 percent. Commercial and public services account for the smallest share at 14 percent. This distribution illustrates the differences in energy demand across sectors in the EU member states.

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In a country comparison, Germany ranks first within the EU with a total energy consumption of 175,984 toe – the Federal Republic is responsible for 21 percent of total energy consumption within the EU. France and Italy are in second and third place among the countries with the highest energy consumption, with 15 and 13 percent, respectively. The ranking of the countries with the lowest final energy consumption is led by Malta, Cyprus, and Estonia, which account for only 0.1 percent, 0.2 percent, and 0.3 percent of total EU energy consumption, respectively.

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Energy use in business and transport

While industry is the largest energy consumer in Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Slovakia, the transport sector dominates in most countries – a total of 17 countries, including France, Italy, Poland, Luxembourg, and Spain. In five countries, including Germany, Estonia, and Denmark, households are the largest energy consumer. In no country is the commercial and public services sector the main energy consumer.

Across the EU, the transport sector consumes the most energy at 33 percent. This share is particularly high in Luxembourg (52 percent), due to the high level of commuter traffic and tax-advantaged fuel. The transport sector is also particularly energy-intensive in Malta (47 percent) and Cyprus (44 percent). This is due, among other things, to the fact that both countries lack large-scale industry and the comparatively higher energy consumption of other sectors. At the other end of the scale is Finland with just 18 percent, followed by Sweden (22 percent) and the Netherlands (27 percent).

In the industrial sector, Finland has the highest share of energy consumption at 43 percent, followed by Sweden (39 percent) and the Netherlands (33 percent). Germany ranks seventh with 28 percent. The lowest values are in Malta (11 percent), Estonia (14 percent), and Cyprus (16 percent).

Energy consumption for commercial and public services is the lowest in Europe (14 percent). The highest values are recorded in Malta (22 percent), Cyprus (19 percent), and Ireland (18 percent). Energy consumption is lowest in Romania (9 percent), Slovenia (9.97 percent), and Hungary (10.30 percent). Germany ranks in the European middle range at around 14 percent.

Private households: Highest in Estonia, lowest in Luxembourg

In Estonia, private households account for the largest share of final energy consumption at 38 percent – a figure that is significantly higher than the EU average of 27 percent. In Denmark, Hungary, Romania, and Croatia, household energy consumption also accounts for more than a third. Germany, Latvia, Poland, and Lithuania are in the upper middle range with around 30 percent, while in Luxembourg, households account for only 16 percent of energy consumption. Possible reasons for these differences include climatic conditions, population density, and the proportion of energy-efficient residential buildings and heating systems.

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Analysis of energy consumption per 100,000 inhabitants – focus on sustainability

Larger, more populous countries consume more energy overall than smaller, less populous states. Therefore, it makes sense to consider energy consumption in the unit toe per 100,000 inhabitants to gain a comparable perspective on the differences within Europe. Here, too, Luxembourg has the highest total energy consumption at 438 units – primarily due to its high per capita transport energy consumption (228 units). It should be emphasized again that, in addition to the 660,000 inhabitants, 228,400 cross-border commuters travel through the country every working day. 

Finland has the second-highest per capita total energy consumption at 386 units, primarily driven by high per capita industrial energy consumption (167 units). This highlights the country's strong industrial character, particularly in the energy-intensive wood and paper industry. Sweden also has high per capita energy consumption at 276 units, but with a greater distribution across the various industrial sectors.

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High energy demand in the building sector: A key challenge for the EU climate targets

In Eurostat data, the building sector is not identified as a separate sector; instead, its energy demand is included in the various sectors. As a result, its true impact is often underestimated: Buildings account for 42 percent of total energy consumption and 35 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU – a challenge that is exacerbated primarily by the low energy efficiency of many existing buildings. Achieving the EU's climate targets therefore requires both increased energy-efficient refurbishment and the construction of new, CO₂-neutral buildings. Sustainable buildings are not a matter of the future – they are the key to a more climate-friendly Europe.

Analysis of EU final energy consumption shows that private households account for a significant share of energy demand in many member states – particularly in Germany. This is primarily due to high heating energy consumption and the inadequate energy efficiency of many buildings. In almost all EU countries, heating accounts for the largest share of energy consumption in private households (63 percent). This figure is highest in Luxembourg (79 percent), followed by Estonia (73 percent) and Hungary (72 percent). In Germany, 66 percent of household energy consumption is used for heating. The lowest figures are recorded in Malta (21 percent) and Portugal (32 percent), which can be attributed to the climatic conditions there.

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Need for action in the building sector

To achieve the EU climate targets and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030, comprehensive measures must be taken to reduce energy demand in the building sector. These include:

• Energy-efficient refurbishments to minimize heat losses and reduce heating energy requirements.
• The use of climate-friendly heating systems, such as heat pumps or district heating, to reduce the proportion of fossil fuels.
• Improved access to funding programs to make it easier for owners to implement refurbishment measures economically.
• Stricter efficiency standards for new buildings so that future buildings do not place additional strain on the energy system.

Consistent implementation of these measures would not only reduce energy consumption in private households, but also improve Europe's energy security, reduce CO₂ emissions, and lower energy costs for consumers in the long term. The building sector is therefore a key lever for sustainably reducing energy demand in the EU – and must become a greater focus of political and economic measures.

Photo by Karsten Würth on Unsplash