Data extracted in June 2025.
Planned article update: July 2026.
Highlights
Based on preliminary 2024 data for the EU, renewable energy sources continued growing as the leading source for electricity generation.
Based on preliminary 2024 data for the EU, for the second year in a row, more electricity was generated from wind than from natural gas.
Based on preliminary 2024 data for the EU, 88% of gas supply in the grid came from imports.
In 2022, in the midst of post-COVID-19 recovery and increased energy use, the EU was hit by an energy crisis. The Russian invasion of Ukraine further increased the already high natural gas prices and gave rise to uncertainty over gas and oil supply. An exceptionally hot and dry summer of 2022 in many EU countries did not help alleviate the situation, affecting nuclear and, in particular, hydro power generation. Faced with concerns on the security of energy supply, the EU put forward the RepowerEU Plan, with the clear objective of saving energy, diversifying the energy supply, and boosting the clean energy transition. The decisions taken in 2022 contributed to creating a significant positive impact on the EU's energy supply in 2023, which saw a remarkable increase in renewable energy and a sharp drop in fossil fuels, in particular natural gas and coal. According to preliminary data for 2024, these general trends continued - renewables remained on an upward trajectory, while coal continue decreasing. Natural gas supply was more or less stable compared to 2023.
The figure above shows the indexed supply of fossil fuels and nuclear in the EU in the period 2005-2024. Nuclear registered an increase compared with 2023, and to a lesser extent so did natural gas, while brown coal and hard coal dropped significantly. Petroleum products registered a slight decrease.
Natural gas
Preliminary 2024 data indicate a further decrease in the domestic production of natural gas (-5.0% compared with 2023). These production developments combined with an equal decrease in net imports (-5.0%) and a stock draw resulted in a relatively stable inland consumption of natural gas compared with 2023 (+0.3%). This is nevertheless a 19.0% drop compared with 2021, the period before gas saving measures were implemented (see Table 1[1]). Detailed data by country are available in Eurostat's energy database.
Figure 1 shows the evolution of gas supply in the grid in the period from 1990 until 2024, broken down by natural gas domestic production, net imports, and biogas injected in the grid. It is clear that the EU has increasingly been relying on imports of natural gas, downsizing domestic production. In 2024, net imports made up as much as 88% of gas supply in the grid. Biogas injected in the grid, although on the rise (+12.0% compared to 2023), still makes up a negligible portion of the total gas supply in the grid and is therefore unlikely to compensate for any potential natural gas shortages in the near future.
Solid fossil fuels (coal) and manufactured gases
Following a generally downward path for many years, coal consumption took a reverse course in 2021 and 2022, before dropping quite significantly in 2023. This decrease continued, although at a slower rate, in 2024, with preliminary data suggesting record low levels for inland consumption of solid fossil fuels in the EU.
Compared with 2023, inland consumption of lignite in the EU fell by 22.0 thousand tonnes (kt) (-10.0%), while other bituminous coal dropped by 15.7 kt (-18.1%). Manufactured gases, mostly produced in relation to coal consumption in the iron and steel industry, also show a decrease. In fact, Table 2[2] shows a clear decreasing trend for almost all products, with the exception of a modest increase for coke oven coke and blast furnace gas.
Source: Eurostat (nrg_cb_sff)
Tables 3 and 4 show the supply and trade data for brown coal and hard coal. These 2 aggregates cover the majority of fuels used. Both hard coal and brown coal supply dropped significantly. Inland consumption of hard coal dropped by 13.8%, and of brown coal by 10.0% compared to 2023. Figure 2 shows the development of brown coal and hard coal domestic production and net imports[3] since 1990, indicating a long-term downward trend for both aggregates, interrupted in 2021 and 2022, but continuing even more strongly in 2023 and 2024.
Oil
Preliminary data for 2024 indicate that the demand of refineries for primary oil (such as crude oil) decreased very slightly for the second year in a row, after having increased in 2021 and 2022. The calculated refinery intake dropped by 0.9% in 2024 compared with the year before (see Table 5). A similar trend (-0.5% in 2024 compared with 2023) was also observed for the supply of refined petroleum products from refineries (see Table 6). In 2024, gas oil and diesel oil followed by motor gasoline were the most significant oil products refined in the EU, accounting together for 58.7% of the total refinery output.
Gross inland deliveries of all petroleum products to the EU market registered an small decrease in 2024 (-1.2%) compared with 2023.
Source: Eurostat (nrg_cb_oil)
Figure 3 shows the development of the supply of oil and blended biofuels in the period 1990-2024, broken down by domestic production, net imports and biofuels blended. Similarly to natural gas, we can see that domestic production follows a decreasing trend, while any rising demand needs are typically met by increasing imports.
Electricity
The total electricity supply in the EU increased by 2.0% compared with 2023. Preliminary data indicate significant annual variations between various individual fuel sources used for electricity generation. Looking at fuel groups, however, Figure 4 shows a strikingly divergent trend between electricity produced from fossil fuels and electricity coming from renewable energy sources. Preliminary 2024 data for electricity show a record high reliance on renewables (1 313 Terawatt hours (TWh)) and a record low use of fossil fuels (810 TWh). In 2024, 47.3% of electricity in the EU was produced from renewable energy (44.9% in 2023), and only 29.2% from fossil fuels (32.2% in 2023). The remaining portion (649 TWh or 23.4%) is nuclear power, having continued its recovery, which started in 2023 after the record-low levels registered in 2022.
The fossil fuel drop is largely driven by the decrease in electricity produced from other bituminous coal (-30.2 TWh or -22.5%), lignite (-15.0 TWh or -8.4%) and natural gas (-15.2 TWh or -3.3%). On the other hand, electricity from solar photovoltaic energy increased by 48.3 TWh or 19.6%, hydro electricity by 41.9 TWh or 11.6%, and wind electricity by 9.5 TWh or 2.0%. Looking at the period of 2019-2024, electricity from solar photovoltaic energy increased by as much as 150.2%, and wind electricity by 32.7%. In the same five-year period, electricity generated from natural gas dropped by 22.1%, from other bituminous coal by 49.3% and from lignite by 32.3%.
On the level of individual fuels, nuclear continued to be the most important contributor to the EU electricity generation system (649.3 TWh or 23.4%). For the second year in row, wind generated more than natural gas, with 487.6 TWh of wind electricity (17.6%) and 443.4 TWh of electricity generated from natural gas (16.0%). (Table 7 and Figure 4[4]).
Source: Eurostat (nrg_ind_pehcf) and (nrg_ind_pehnf)
We can see in Table 8 that there have not been any significant developments in terms of trade and that export and import figures typically do not diverge much. On the level of the EU, trade in electricity serves mostly the purpose of grid balancing. While some countries are net importers, the EU as whole has sufficient electricity generation capacities to meet its electricity demand.
Figure 4 shows the developments in electricity production from nuclear, renewables and fossil fuels in the period 1990-2024.
Heat
The total derived heat supply in the EU in 2024 is estimated to have decreased by 1.4% compared with 2023. This refers only to heat that was sold – autoconsumed heat is not reflected in these figures. Natural gas as the most important fuel for heat production in the EU remained quite stable compared with 2023 (-0.6% or 3.5 petajoules (PJ). Compared with 2019, however, it decreased by 21.1%. Solid biofuels, the second largest contributor to heat production, decreased by 1.5% or 7.4 PJ compared to 2023 (+3.3% compared with 2019), whereas heat from other bituminous coal decreased by 9.7% or 25.4 PJ (-37.0% compared with 2019). Heat from wastes increased by 7.3% from 2023 to 2024 (and also +7.3% compared with 2019). Other sources contribute significantly less to the total heat production, and preliminary data indicate mixed trends (Table 9).
As shown in Table 10, imports and exports of heat are virtually non-existent in the EU and heat supply relies exclusively on domestic heat production.
Renewables and wastes
Tables 11 and 12 do not feature renewables energies that are used exclusively for electricity generation, such as hydro, wind and solar PV. However, renewables that produce heat (geothermal and solar thermal) are shown, and some of that energy is used also to produce electricity/heat, as indicated in the previous sections.
Preliminary 2024 data indicate different trends for different renewable fuels and wastes. For example, inland consumption of charcoal decreased compared with 2023 (-9.2%). Inland consumption of liquid biofuels decreased by 2.8%, following primarily a decrease in net imports. Primary solid biofuels consumption was rather stable (-0.3%), whereas wastes increased by 1.8% (see Table 11).
Source: Eurostat (nrg_ind_pehcf) and (nrg_cb_rw)
Table 12 shows the developments for inland consumption of individual products. Ambient heat (heat pumps) increased by 5.1% compared with 2023 and as much as +54.8% compared with 2019, while biogases increased by 3.5% and 15.7%, respectively.
_in_the_EU_2024v2.png)
Source data for tables and graphs
Data sources and methodology
This article includes final annual data up to 2023 and preliminary 2024 data for energy commodities, focusing on the developments regarding energy production and imports. Annual energy data are transmitted to Eurostat in line with Regulation (EC) No 1099/2008 on energy statistics. Final official energy annual data (the European statistics on energy) are published in a harmonised form of commodity/energy balance by Eurostat 11-12 months after the end of the reference period. As of 2018, Eurostat is also publishing preliminary annual supply-side data of the commodity balances, transmitted by countries 5 months after the end of the reference period. Prior to reference year 2022, countries were reporting preliminary annual energy data on a voluntary basis. This reporting is mandatory as of reference year 2022. Data collection (including possible estimation) is done at the national level by the respective National Statistical Institutes or Other National Authorities transmitting data to Eurostat. Eurostat does not publish any estimates for values not transmitted by individual reporting countries. Preliminary data may overestimate categories like "other", "other sources" and "non-specified"; and underestimate certain product groups (for example for electricity and heat generation). Data reported 5 months after the reference year should be considered as preliminary; these are not final data for policy evaluation or official monitoring of developments towards legally binding targets.
Context
Energy Union is one of the main policy instruments to deliver the EU's energy strategy. The first State of the Energy Union report stated the following: "In order to track progress, a transparent monitoring system has to be put in place based on key indicators as well as on Member States' biannual reports concerning progress made on their national plans. The Commission intends to assess collective progress made at the EU level in its annual State of the Energy Union and, if necessary, propose policy actions and measures to ensure the delivery of the Energy Union objectives". Using reliable high quality data to monitor the progress made to achieve EU targets will enhance the credibility of the EU energy policy. Therefore, official statistics need to contribute to this process to remain relevant and aligned to the needs of our policy-makers and society. The energy data presented in this article support this monitoring.
Footnotes
- Natural gas quantities are expressed in Terajoules - Gross Calorific Value (TJ GCV). ↑
- Solid fossil fuel quantities are expressed in thousand tonnes (kilotonnes, kt), and quantities of manufactured gases in Terajoules - Gross Calorific Value (TJ GCV). ↑
- Net imports are calculated as the quantity of imports minus the equivalent quantity of exports. Imports represent all entries into the national territory excluding transit quantities; exports similarly cover all quantities exported from the national territory. ↑
- The unit of measurement used is Gigawatt hours (GWh). ↑
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Other articles
- All articles on energy
- All energy articles in alphabetical order
Database
- Energy (nrg), see:
- Energy statistics - quantities (nrg_quant)
- Energy statistics - quantities, annual data (nrg_quanta)
- Supply, transformation and consumption - commodity balances (nrg_cb)
- Supply, transformation and consumption of solid fossil fuels (nrg_cb_sff)
- Supply, transformation and consumption of gas (nrg_cb_gas)
- Supply, transformation and consumption of oil and petroleum products (nrg_cb_oil)
- Supply, transformation and consumption of renewables and wastes (nrg_cb_rw)
- Supply, transformation and consumption of electricity (nrg_cb_e)
- Supply, transformation and consumption of derived heat (nrg_cb_h)
- Energy indicators (nrg_ind)
- Gross production of electricity and derived heat from combustible fuels by type of plant and operator (nrg_ind_pehcf)
- Gross production of electricity and derived heat from non-combustible fuels by type of plant and operator (nrg_ind_pehnf)
- Supply, transformation and consumption - commodity balances (nrg_cb)
- Energy statistics - quantities, annual data (nrg_quanta)
Thematic section
Methodology
- Energy statistics - quantities (ESMS metadata file: European and national metadata)
- Supply, transformation and consumption - commodity balances (ESMS metadata file)
- Energy balances (ESMS metadata file)
External links
Legislation
- Regulation (EC) No 1099/2008 on energy statistics