The European industrial sector continues to reduce energy resource usage, demonstrating a consistent trend towards transitioning to clean energy sources. According to the results of 2024, energy consumption in the EU industrial sector was 8.1% lower compared to the same figure a decade ago. This data was published by Eurostat, noting a significant increase in the use of renewable energy sources and biofuels.
This is reported by Finway
Renewable energy sources surpass fossil fuels for the first time
In 2024, the European industry recorded for the first time the surpassing of renewable energy sources and biofuels over fossil fuels in terms of final consumption. The share of these ecological sources reached 11.3%, equivalent to 999 petajoules (PJ). This result indicates an active transition of enterprises to sustainable energy solutions.
Electricity remains the leader among energy sources for industry, with consumption amounting to 2,945 PJ, or 33.3% of the total volume. Natural gas ranked second with a figure of 2,817 PJ (31.9%). Fossil fuels accounted for 10.4% (922 PJ) of industrial energy consumption, while solid fossil fuels and thermal energy each contributed 5.5%. The contribution of non-renewable waste to the overall consumption structure was 2.1%.
“In 2024, renewable energy sources and biofuels surpassed fossil fuels for the first time in terms of final consumption volumes in European industry. Their share reached 11.3%, or 999 petajoules (PJ)”.
Fossil fuels are rapidly losing ground
Compared to 2023, most traditional energy resources demonstrated a decrease in consumption. The largest reduction was recorded in the fossil fuel segment, where consumption volumes fell by 34.8%. There was also a significant decrease in the use of thermal energy — by 23.7%.
At the same time, renewable energy has become one of the few sectors that showed growth. Throughout the year, energy consumption from renewable sources and biofuels increased by 24.3%. This trend confirms the steady movement of the EU industry towards decarbonization and reducing dependence on traditional fuels.