Higher energy consumption in Germany: Cold and little wind suspected as cause

Energy consumption in Germany increased significantly in the first three months of the year compared to the same period last year. A key reason was the weather: It was colder and there was less wind. This was reported by the Working Group on Energy Balances (AGEB) in Berlin.

The cool temperatures – especially in February – meant more heating was needed. And the dry, windless weather meant less electricity was generated from wind and hydropower. Instead, power plants powered by coal, gas, or oil stepped in to provide more power – but these are less efficient and therefore require more raw materials. However, the continued weak economic situation and the lack of a leap day this year dampened consumption.

According to preliminary calculations by the AGEB, overall primary energy consumption—that is, the consumption of all energy in its original form—rose by 5.5 percent to 3,151 petajoules in the first quarter. This corresponds to approximately 875 terawatt hours.

According to AGEB, the different price developments for individual energy sources also impacted consumption. Lower import prices for crude oil led to higher consumption in the transport sector. Many consumers also stocked up on heating oil. For hard coal, lower import prices led to increased use in electricity generation.

Because more fossil fuels such as coal and gas were used to generate electricity, energy-related CO2 emissions also rose by around eleven million tonnes year-on-year – an increase of around 7 percent.

RND/dpa