A significant side effect of Greece’s crushing economic crisis has been a drastic reduction in the amount of energy being used, according to the European Union’s statistics agency Eurostat. From 2008-11 the figures showed that Greece and Ireland recorded the second biggest decrease of energy imports among the EU’s 27 countries, some 12.3%.
Gross inland energy consumption in the EU fell from a level of 1.800 billion tons of oil equivalent (toe) in 2008, to 1.7 billion in 2009, increased to 1.76 billion in 2010 and then fell again to 1.7 billion in 2011. Between 2008 and 2011, energy consumption in the EU27 has decreased by 6%.
The biggest decrease in energy consumption was witnessed in Latvia (-24.5%), Greece and Ireland (-12.3%), Romania (-10.2%) and Spain and the UK (-9.4%). Only four Member States increased their energy consumption levels, the largest being obvserved in Malta (+16.9%) and Estonia (4.8%). The highest energy dependence rates in 2011 were registered in Malta (101%), Luxembourg (97%), Cyprus (93%) and Ireland (89%).
Εlectrical Power Consumption in Greece
According to the Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO or ADMIE), electrical power consumption in Greece in 2012 was at the same levels as in 2004. The figures for 2012 show that electricity demand dropped for the fourth year in a row in the country to 50,289.2 GWh, decreased by 2.34% compared to 2011. In 2012, electrical power consumption was decreased by 9.67% compared to 2008. The biggest decrease in electrical power consumption was observed mainly in households because of the increased electricity prices and taxation.
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