BAKU, Azerbaijan, Oct.13
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
EU gas consumption in the second quarter of 2020 decreased by 10 percent in year-on-year comparison, after going down by 4 percent in the previous quarter, Trend reports citing the European Commission.
In absolute numbers, the quarterly gas consumption in Q2 2020 amounted to an estimated 71.3 bcm, decreasing from Q2 2019 (79.4 bcm), and down from (131.8 bcm) in Q1 2020, following the seasonal decrease after the end of the winter heating period, the European Commission said in its report.
“Such a huge year-on-year decrease in Q2 2020 could not be observed over the last six years, owing to the broad impact of confinement measures relating to the Covid-19 pandemic, which could be tracked in gas demand for industry and electricity generation. In electricity generation, demand for gas also fell by 10 percent year-on-year (decreasing by 12 TWh). Weather across Europe was generally milder than usual in April, whereas in May temperatures were lower than usual, impacting residential heating needs mainly in April at the end of the heating season. In parallel with easing of the confinement measures, demand for natural gas increased in June after the lows in April and May, comparing to the average of the last five years, as Figure 1 below shows. In the first half of 2020 gas consumption in the EU amounted to 203 bcm, down by 16 bcm (8 percent) compared to the same period of 2019.
“In the second quarter of 2020, the biggest year-on-year increase in gas consumption could be observed in Estonia (30 percent, though representing only a minor increase of 0.02 bcm) and Greece and Portugal (respectively representing decreases of 26 percent and 25 percent, and 0.3 bcm and 0.4 bcm, compared to Q2 2019). Gas consumption, measured in percentages, went up by the most in Slovakia (by 29 percent, 0.2 bcm) and in Lithuania (by 26 percent, 0.1 bcm). In Spain and Italy gas consumption in Q2 2020 fell year-on-year respectively by 20 percent and 21 percent (in volumes: -2.7 bcm and -1.7 bcm). In the remaining EU Member States the change in gas consumption remained in the range of -20 percent to +10%, compared to Q2 2019.
“However, there were only seven countries, where consumption grew in Q2 2020. In the United Kingdom consumption of natural gas decreased by 12 percent (2 bcm) in Q2 2020 compared to the second quarter of 2019. In absolute numbers, gas consumption in Q2 2020 decreased the most in Italy (by -2.7 bcm), Spain (-1.7 bcm), France (-1.6 bcm), Germany (-0.7 bcm) and the Netherlands (-0.6 bcm). In the first half of 2020 gas consumption in the EU was down by 4.4 bcm in Italy (or -11 percent), being the first country that introduced territorial and then nationwide confinement measures, Germany (-2.7 bcm, -6 percent), France (-2.6 bcm, -11 percent) and Spain (-2 bcm, - 12 percent), compared with the first half of 2019. In the United Kingdom consumption of gas decreased by 3.1 bcm (-7 percent) during the same period,” reads the report.
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