Translation from German:
Energy consumption in Germany fell sharply in the first three months of the current year compared to the same period last year. With the exception of the continuously growing population and this year's leap day on 29 February, all influencing factors had the effect of reducing consumption. This applies to the overall subdued macroeconomic development, the mild weather conditions and the high level of energy prices, including the increased costs for CO₂ emissions as part of the national emissions trading scheme for fossil fuels.
According to preliminary calculations by the Working Group on Energy Balances (AG Energiebilanzen), domestic primary energy consumption reached 3,030 petajoules (PJ) or 103.4 million tonnes of coal equivalent (mtce) in the first quarter of 2024. This was 4.6 per cent less than in the same quarter of the previous year.
The consumption of mineral oil fell by 2.8 per cent in the first three months of the current year. While the consumption of petrol fell by around 4.4 per cent and diesel fuel even declined by almost 9 per cent, sales of aviation fuel increased by almost 11 per cent. The supply of crude petrol to the chemical industry fell by more than 4 per cent. By contrast, sales of light heating oil rose by just over 4 per cent as many consumers increased their stocks.
Natural gas consumption recorded a slight increase of 1.2 per cent in the first quarter of the current year, which is largely due to increased consumption as a result of this year's leap day. More natural gas was used in electricity generation in particular. In contrast, the mild weather caused demand for natural gas for heating purposes to fall. In industry, the use of natural gas declined against the backdrop of the production trend. In contrast, there was a slightly positive trend in the trade, commerce and services sector and in district heating generation.
Hard coal consumption fell by more than 20 per cent overall in the first three months. The use of hard coal in power plants to generate electricity fell by more than 40% as a result of an overall decline in electricity generation, increased electricity production from renewable energies and higher electricity purchases from neighbouring countries. Sales to the iron and steel industry increased by just under 4 per cent due to the rise in pig iron production.
Lignite consumption fell by almost a fifth. The decline in production (minus 17.3 per cent) largely corresponded to the development of deliveries to the public utility power plants, which purchase more than 90 per cent of domestic lignite production. Electricity generation from lignite fell by 18.5 per cent in the first quarter of the current year.
The final decommissioning of the last three nuclear power plant units (Neckarwestheim 2, Emsland and Isar 2) on 15 April 2023 means that nuclear energy will no longer contribute to the domestic energy supply.
In the first quarter of 2024, 0.5 billion kWh (1.6 PJ) more electricity was exported abroad than flowed back to Germany. In the same period of the previous year, the export surplus was 9.5 billion kWh (34.3 PJ). So far this year, more electricity has been purchased from France and Belgium than has been supplied. In addition, the export surpluses with Switzerland and Austria have decreased significantly.
The contribution of renewable energies in the first quarter of 2024 was 2.9 per cent higher overall than in the same period of the previous year. This development is due in particular to an increase in electricity production from hydropower, photovoltaics and, above all, wind energy. The use of renewable energies in heat generation declined due to weather conditions.
The clearly recognisable changes in the structure of energy consumption, in particular the further decline in the use of coal, are likely to have led to a reduction in CO₂ emissions of around 6.6% or 12 million tonnes (mt), according to estimates by AG Energiebilanzen. Decline in energy consumption primarily affects coal Development of primary energy consumption 1st quarter 2024 Changes in per cent - Total 3,030 PJ or 103.4 million tce