Renewable energy was the leading source of electricity in the EU in 2023, accounting for 44.7 percent of all electricity production. Renewables generated 1.21 million gigawatt-hour (GWh), marking an increase of 12.4 percent compared with 2022, as per the report published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
According to the report, the electricity generated from fossil fuels decreased by 19.7 percent compared with the previous year, contributing 0.88 million GWh, or 32.5 percent of the total electricity production. Nuclear plants produced 0.62 million GWh or 22.8 percent the EU energy production, reflecting a 1.2 percent increase in production in 2023.
Natural gas supply decreased
The report stated that EU’s natural gas supply decreased to 12.8 million terajoules (TJ) in 2023, a 7.4 percent decline compared with 2022, marking the lowest value since 1995.
Even sharper decreases were registered for coal: brown coal supply decreased by 24.2 percent to 222.840 million tonnes, and hard coal supply dropped by 20.4 percent to 130.437 million tonnes. Both figures are the lowest recorded since the data series began.
In terms of oil and petroleum products, the supply totalled 526,862 tonnes, indicating a 1.5 percent drop compared with 2022. The supply of renewable energies increased by 4.4 percent compared with 2022, amounting to around 10.9 million TJ in 2023.
Decrease in electrcity and gas price
Earlier in April, the electricity and gas bills decreased in the second half of 2023, after the increase which started before the Russian aggression against Ukraine and skyrocketed through 2022.
In the second half of 2023, average household electricity prices in the EU decreased (€28.5 per 100 kWh) when compared with the first half (€29.4 per 100 kWh), and increased slightly compared with the second half in 2022 (€28.4 per 100 kWh). The cost of energy, supply and network stabilised in the first semester of 2023, showing a decrease in the second, still remaining at high levels, compared to cost before the price peak in 2022.
Average gas prices for households in the second half of 2023 decreased (€11.3 per 100 kWh) when compared with the first half of 2023 (€11.9 per 100 kWh) and the second half of 2022 (€11.4 per 100 kWh). Energy, supply and network cost decreased, which started already in the first semester of 2023, and continued its downward course. For non-household consumers this decrease is more pronounced, showing better conditions for the industry.
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