Experts expect energy consumption in Germany to fall

Total energy consumption in Germany is set to fall significantly in 2026, according to a group of independent experts.

A decline of just under 3% compared with the previous year is expected, the Working Group on Energy Balances (AGEB) reported on Wednesday.

Experts cite subdued economic growth and the sharp rise in energy prices as the main reasons for the projected decline.

By contrast, weather conditions and other influencing factors are thought to have had only a minor impact on energy consumption.

The projection suggests energy-related carbon dioxide emissions will fall by just under 4% over the year as a whole.

The annual forecast is based on data for the first nine months of the current year. AGEB found that energy consumption fell by 3.6% during this period compared with the same period last year.

Consumption of mineral oil fell by more than 12% overall between January and September. The declines varied depending on the energy source. For petrol, the drop was 4%, while for diesel it was over 9%.

For light heating oil, the decline was over 38%, which the AGEB said was due to consumers depleting their stocks due to high prices and only purchasing small quantities to replenish them.

Natural gas consumption rose slightly (0.8%), while hard coal consumption increased by over 8%. Renewable energies increased by 5.7%.

In the first nine months of 2026, renewable energies accounted for a total of 22.5% of overall energy consumption. In the previous year, this figure stood at 20.5%. Fossil fuels - oil, natural gas and coal - continued to account for the majority of energy consumed in Germany, totalling 75.5%.