​Almost all EU member states cut electricity demand over the winter, although only Romania, Slovakia and Greece met the 10% voluntary reduction target set by EU emergency legislation between November and March, according to analysis by the field reflection group energy of Ember

In the EU, a 6.2% reduction in demand during these months (compared to the five-year average) saved 12 billion euros in electricity.

These reductions in demand can be partly explained by higher than average temperatures in Europe during the winter, which reduced the demand for electric heating. However, government energy conservation measures and citizen action also played a role, with some reductions being voluntary acts of solidarity and others cost-driven.

EU countries have also made progress in reducing peak-hour electricity demand, and most have met the mandatory 5% reduction in peak-hour electricity consumption. Only one country, Ireland, saw an increase in demand during peak hours.

Ember’s analysis shows that for the first time, despite the crisis, renewables produced more electricity than fossil fuels in the EU during the winter, as a significant 7% drop in demand led to a 12% drop in fossil fuel production compared to the previous winter. . Renewable sources generated 40% of electricity in the EU during the winter period (October 2022 – March 2023), while fossil fuels accounted for 37%.

“Europe has faced a winter of crisis, with energy prices and supply problems skyrocketing, caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The EU managed to survive these difficult months, but it cannot rely on emergency demand reductions and mild weather in the coming years. “, – said Ember analyst Dr. Chris Rosslow. “To maintain a stable energy supply, the EU needs to move away from fossil fuels as quickly as possible.”

Coal and natural gas production decreased compared to last winter. Coal-fired power generation fell by 11% (-27 TWh) and gas-fired power generation by 13% (-38 TWh), despite fears that EU countries may switch to using coal for power generation in based on gas, in the context of which the EU decided to cut ties with Russian gas. This decline in fossil fuel volumes was mainly due to a 7% drop in electricity demand in the EU (-94 TWh), as fossil fuel prices remained high. Coal and gas production would have fallen even more had it not been for the continued downtime of the French nuclear fleet.

15 of the 18 EU countries that still have coal-fired power cut their coal output over the winter. The EU’s largest coal-fired power producers, Poland and Germany, accounted for 70% of EU coal production this winter, with declines of 4 TWh and 9 TWh respectively. In February 2023, coal reached a new low in Poland’s electricity generation, falling below two-thirds of production for the first time. Portugal saw the largest percentage drop in coal production as the country phased out its only remaining coal-fired power plant in winter 2021.

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