Decline in Industrial Energy Consumption in 2023

In 2023, industrial energy consumption experienced a significant decline of 7.8%, following a 9.1% drop in the previous year. This downturn primarily affected energy-intensive industries, which saw an 11.2% reduction in production.

A substantial 91% of the energy consumed was utilized for electricity and heat generation, while the remaining 9% served as raw materials for chemicals, fertilizers, or plastics. Natural gas emerged as the leading energy source, accounting for 28% of consumption, followed by electricity at 21%, mineral oils at 16%, and coal at 15%.

The chemical industry stood out as the largest consumer, utilizing 26.5% of total energy, with a notable non-energy share of 31.6%. The survey compiling this data included 47,000 establishments with 20 or more employees, reflecting a broad spectrum of industrial activity.

Comprehensive data will be accessible through the GENESIS-Online platform, which is set to launch a new user interface on November 5, 2024. This continuing decline in energy consumption underscores the ongoing challenges faced by the industrial sector amid economic fluctuations.