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Denmark reached 40-year record low energy consumption level in 2015

According to the Danish Energy Agency’s preliminary energy statistics for 2015, energy consumption in Denmark decreased again in 2015 by 1.1%, to the lowest level since the 1970s.

Record high wind power generation and electricity imports contributed to a reduction in the share of electricity consumption covered by domestic power plants in 2015 and to a 31% fall in coal consumption in 2015 (back to a 1970s level). However, consumption of oil, gas and renewable energy increased by 3.5%, 1.4% and 2.1%, respectively. The strong decrease in coal consumption led to a 6.6% cut in CO2 emissions (-4.8% for total greenhouse gas emissions).

The share of renewable energies in gross energy consumption increased from 26% in 2014 to 27.2% in 2015, but higher electricity imports degraded Denmark's degree of self-sufficiency for energy (coverage of energy consumption by domestic production), which dropped from 90% in 2014 to 89% in 2015. However, Denmark continues to be a net exporter of oil and gas, with a degree of self-sufficiency of 120% in 2015.

Primary energy production declined by 2.4% in 2015 (-5.4% for crude oil and -0.6% for gas), while renewable production grew by 2.8%.