DG Energy Newsletter

Around 10.6% of European’s were unable to keep their homes adequately warm in 2023. This is up by 1.3% compared to 2022, a rise which underlines the impact of the cost of living crisis, including higher energy bills, on consumers.

In the last 12 months, 50% of EU’s electricity mix came from renewable energy sources, driven by wind and solar energy. Adding nuclear energy, 75% of the electricity in the past year came from low carbon sources.

More than 2,200 delegates attended the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) in Brussels last week, with a further 8,000 participants following events online – making it one of the most successful EUSEW sessions ever.

These agreements will further support Ukraine’s recovery and focus on the repair, rehabilitation and development of the country’s energy infrastructure.

EU gas and electricity markets made considerable progress in 2023 in diversifying supplies, incorporating more renewables and returning to stable, more affordable prices after the energy crisis of 2022.

On 3 June, the Commission took further steps to support the development of the European hydrogen market by launching work on a pilot mechanism. It aims to accelerate investments by providing a clearer picture of the market situation.

On June 3, the Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ken Saito, and the European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, held a High-Level Hydrogen Business Forum to deepen their cooperation on hydrogen business and technology development.

The first-ever EU rules to curb methane emissions from the energy sector in Europe and across the globe became legislation on 27 May.

The Commission welcomed on 27 May the final adoption of the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA), which puts the EU on track to strengthen its domestic manufacturing capacities of key clean technologies.

The Commission welcomed the adoption on 21 May of important electricity and gas market reforms and the new regulatory framework to boost the development of hydrogen and other decarbonised gases.

In 2022, EU households used 10.1 million terajoules of energy, the lowest amount recorded since 2016.

The EU's demand for natural gas has been declining for 2 consecutive years. After a 13.3% yearly decrease in 2022, demand fell by another 7.4% in 2023, totalling 12.72 million terajoules in 2023.