From one energy crisis to the next: How the EU cut gas demand by a fifth

The US–Iran war has disrupted maritime transit through the Strait of Hormuz, severely restricting oil and gas exports from the Middle East. For Europe, the 2026 crisis echoes the challenges of 2022, as the continent once again faces supply disruptions that threaten its energy security and push up prices. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU launched its REPowerEU plan to phase out dependence on Russian gas. To effectively confront current and future crises, European countries must apply the lessons from REPowerEU policies.

A major lesson is that installing wind and solar power does not automatically cut gas use. Whether it does depends on the country: how much gas its power stations burn, whether wind power can be built alongside solar power, and whether homes and industry are electrifying heating.

The EU reduced its gas demand by approximately 80 billion cubic metres (bcm), or 20%, between 2021 and 2024. About 32% of this reduction came from households, 30% from industry, 28% from heat and power generation, and 10% from commercial/public services.

In terms of declines in household gas consumption between 2021 and 2024, Germany (7.0bcm), Italy (5.1bcm) and France (3.5bcm) reduced the most. Milder winters, energy efficiency measures, lower heating demand in response to high prices, and heat pump deployment all appear to have played a role.

This story was originally published by Hellenic Shipping News. Read the full story at Hellenic Shipping News →