Germany posts significant increase in energy efficiency

This is a drop from 5.2 gigajoules needed in 2013 and 7.6 gigajoules in 1990, according to an AGEB press release. The group said the results were ‘excellent’ compared to other countries.

“This means Germany has increased efficiency by more than a third within the last 24 years,” said Hans-Joachim Ziesing, a member of AGEB’s managing board. Energy efficiency increased on average by 1.9 percent per year since 1990.

Private households increased efficiency by almost six percent last year, while industry used 3.3 percent less energy to produce goods worth 1,000 euros, according to the AGEB results.

“Germany is particularly frugal when it comes to electricity consumption,” states the press release. Power consumption in relation to total economic output decreased 4.3 percent. The researchers said this was down to more efficient industrial processes, as well as the increased use of energy-saving appliances in homes.

The German government last year declared energy efficiency the “twin pillar of the energy transition” - on a par with the roll-out of renewable energies, in its National Action Plan on Energy Efficiency (NAPE).