BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 17. The European Union's natural gas consumption increased by 9.3% year-on-year in December 2024, reaching 40 bcm, according to the latest report from the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), Trend reports.
This marks the fourth consecutive month of growth, following a seven-month decline earlier in the year.
The GECF report highlights that "reduced wind speeds and lower hydroelectric output significantly increased reliance on gas-fired power plants to stabilize the electricity grid." It also attributes the surge in gas demand to "colder-than-average weather, which further boosted residential and commercial gas consumption for heating."
Industrial gas use continued to expand as well, benefiting from "a recovery in key European economies and the advantage of lower gas prices," the report noted.
Despite an overall 0.2% year-on-year decline in EU electricity production to 228 TWh, gas-fired electricity generation saw remarkable growth of 16%, compensating for lower outputs from hydro and wind energy.
The GECF outlined the December power generation mix, where "non-hydro renewables maintained a leading share at 32%, followed by nuclear at 26%, gas at 19%, coal at 13%, and hydro at 11%."
The findings underscore the critical role of natural gas in maintaining energy stability during periods of unfavorable weather and fluctuating renewable output, reinforcing its importance in Europe’s energy mix.