Energy efficiency trends of final consumers

  • Energy efficiency of final consumers improved by 1%/year between 2000 and 2022. These improvements have accelerated since 2019 (1.1%/year on average), after a slow progression over 2014-2019 (0.7%/year). The recent intensification in energy efficiency progress may be partly linked to high energy prices in 2021 and 2022.
  • The largest gains are for households and industry (1.3%/year since 2000), although progress has been halved in households since 2014 (0.7%/year against 1.7%/year previously).
  • A slighter slowdown is visible for industry after the 2008 economic crisis (0.9%/year from 2008 to 2020 against 1.6%/year previously). However, the trend seems accelerating again since 2020 (-2%/year).
  • Slower improvement in transport (0.7%/year), with, however, a strong acceleration since 2018 (1%/year).
  • Energy efficiency in services has improved at an average pace of 0.9%/year since 2000.

    Energy efficiency trends of final consumers (EU)

    • In most countries, energy efficiency has also been progressing much slower since 2014. Only Switzerland, Italy and Denmark see the energy efficiency improving faster since 2014.
    • Switzerland, Lithuania, Estonia and Ireland show the steadiest progress since 2014, higher than 1.6%/year, twice the EU average.

    Energy efficiency trends of final consumers (All countries)