CAPTION: German energy consumption in 2023 set to be 25% lower than in 1990. (picture alliance/dpa/Silas Stein)
According to a new projection, energy consumption in Germany in 2023 will have fallen to its lowest level since reunification.
In its latest forecast, the Working Group on Energy Balances expects a decrease of 7.9% to 10,791 petajoules, the equivalent of 2,988 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, the working group 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 1 billion kilowatt hours.
According to the report, the main reason for the decline was the fall 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."
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.
"The influx of 1.35 million people increased the total population to just under 85.5 million people," the report said.
Notice: No person, organization and/or company shall disseminate or broadcast the above article on Xinhua Silk Road website without prior permission by Xinhua Silk Road.
A single purchase
