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Gas consumption in Europe increased by 4.1% in 2015

According to preliminary estimates released by Eurogas, gas consumption in Europe increased by 4.1%, as temperatures were closer to the average (2014 was a particularly warm year). LNG imports benefited from the higher consumption (+34% in Italy).

Gas consumption for heating purposes increased noticeably in Germany (half of new-build residential construction fitted with gas-heating appliances), where gas demand rose by 4.7% (higher demand from the residential sector partly offset by a lower demand from the power sector). The economic recovery in some countries also contributed to rising gas demand, especially in the Czech Republic (+4.8%), in France (+7.8%) and in Slovakia (+5.9%). The decrease in global gas prices contributed to an increased share in power generation (+0.4%); in Greece and Italy, gas backed a rising demand for cooling (+9.1% and +7.4%, respectively).

However, gas demand dipped in some countries, due to a preference for coal in power generation (-0.8% in the Netherlands) or to tax regimes discouraging gas consumption (-10.8% in Finland).