Transport activities accounted for just under a third (31%) of the total energy consumption in the European Union in 2022, ahead of households (27%) and industry (25%), new data has shown.
According to the Eurostat data, road transport was the biggest energy consumer within the transport sector, accounting for 74% of all energy (or 10,996 petajoules).
Water transport, such as ferries, accounted for 13% of all energy consumed in the transport sector, followed by air (11%) and rail (1%).
On a year-on-year basis, however, air transport recoded the highest increase in energy consumption, reporting a 57% increase – this has much to do with the lifting of travel restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of 2022, energy consumption levels were approaching pre-pandemic figures, following sharp declines in 2020 and 2021.
Petrol and diesel
Petrol and diesel fuel (excluding biofuels) accounted for the highest energy usage within road transport in 2022, accounting for around two thirds (65%).
Petrol and diesel oil were the dominant energy sources in most EU countries, although the shares varied. The highest shares were in Latvia (80%) and Lithuania (76%), followed by Ireland, Austria, and Spain, each at 74%. The lowest shares were in Sweden (45%), Cyprus (46%), and the Netherlands (48%).
Motor gasoline had the largest share in Cyprus (50%), the Netherlands (42%), and Malta (36%). The smallest shares were in Lithuania (13%), Latvia (14%), and Bulgaria (15%).
A growing market
‘The financial crisis in 2008 had a considerable impact on the economy and, as such, on road transport, which decreased until 2013,’ Eurostat noted. ‘From 2014 onwards, energy consumption in road transport started to increase again due to the growing economy and low fuel prices.
‘In 2019, consumption almost reached the level recorded in 2008 but then decreased again due to COVID-19 restrictions. After the restrictions were lifted, consumption in road transport increased once more, and the reported EU consumption in 2022 was 97.4% of the pre-COVID-19 level of 2019.’ Read Eurostat’s data here.
