La demanda energética de Europa vuelve a crecer impulsada por la bajada de los precios y el crecimiento de las energías renovables.

The European Union recorded its first sustained energy growth since 2017 in 2024, with an increase of 0.5%, as revealed by the IEA's 2025 Global Energy Review of the International Energy Agency (IEA).

This rebound follows several consecutive years of contraction, exacerbated by the post-pandemic energy crisis and the war in Ukraine.

The main factor behind the recovery was the decline in energy prices, especially natural gas, which helped partially reactivate industrial demand and stabilize the electricity market.

At the same time, the growth of renewable generation, especially solar and wind, helped cover a significant portion of the increase in electricity consumption, reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

"Global energy demand increased by 2.2% in 2024, reaching nearly 650 EJ.

This was due to a notable recovery in growth in advanced economies, where demand grew by almost 1% (+2 EJ) after a 2% drop in 2023.

Demand in the European Union grew again for the first time since 2017 (apart from the post-COVID rebound in 2021), driven by relaxed energy prices and a lower base following reductions in recent years.

In the United States, demand grew by 1.7%, while in Japan, it continued its long-term decline, falling by 1.2%," the IEA report highlights.

In 2024, economic activity in the EU grew at a more moderate pace, with significant regional differences, in a context of lower inflationary pressures and controlled volatility.

The structural transformation of the European electricity system was consolidated in 2024: for the first time, electricity generation from solar photovoltaic and wind surpassed the combined share of coal and gas.

Solar and wind generation increased globally by 670 TWh, and in the European Union, its share exceeded that of fossil fuels for the first time since records began.

This milestone comes after years of sustained investment and an increasingly favorable regulatory environment.

"In the European Union, the share of solar and wind generation surpassed that of coal and gas combined for the first time," the report details.

Meanwhile, coal demand fell by 10% in the region, equivalent to 21 million tons of coal equivalent (Mtce).

The closure of thermal power plants continued, with symbolic milestones such as the complete elimination of coal generation in the UK in September 2024.

On the other hand, natural gas consumption in the EU grew slightly by 1%, though with a different composition: gas generation fell by 5%, while industry showed signs of recovery thanks to a more favorable price environment, although it remains 15% below 2019 levels.

"Industrial gas consumption in Europe is growing, although still far from pre-pandemic levels," the IEA states.

Europe's performance in 2024 is set in a global context of accelerated growth in global energy demand (+2.2%), where China continued to lead in absolute terms, even though its growth rate was halved compared to 2023.

China accounted for more than 50% of the global increase in electricity demand, followed by India, whose growth surpassed that of all advanced economies combined.

In contrast, the United States experienced a 1.7% increase in energy consumption, with strong growth in data centers and electrified transportation.

In this context, the European Union showed much more contained growth, but with a more sustainable energy profile.

The region succeeded in reducing its CO emissions amid rising consumption, while China recorded a 16% increase in per capita emissions compared to advanced economies, doubling the global average.

"Emissions in advanced economies fell by 1.1%, while China continues to rise and reaches higher per capita levels," says the IEA.

In terms of energy intensity, Europe maintained its leadership in efficiency, despite a global slowdown in the improvement of this indicator.

Globally, energy intensity improved by only 1% in 2024, due to the impact of high temperatures and energy-intensive industrial recovery in developing countries.

The region also stands out for its lower share of oil in the energy mix, in a year where global crude oil demand barely grew by 0.8%, falling for the first time below 30% of the global energy mix.

The year 2024 marked a turning point for Europe in energy terms.

After years of contraction and volatility, the continent returned to a growth path with a more sustainable focus, supported by renewables and efficiency improvements.

While the growth was modest compared to emerging economies, the structural transformation of the European electricity system reinforces its global leadership in decarbonization, consolidating the region's role as a benchmark in the energy transition.