Spain Energy Information

Total Energy Consumption

In 2020, total consumption per capita was 2.3 toe (15% lower than the EU average), including 4 800 kWh of electricity (slightly below the EU average).

Graph: CONSUMPTION TRENDS BY ENERGY SOURCE (Mtoe)

Interactive Chart Spain Total Energy Consumption

Crude Oil Production

Oil production is very low (30 kt in 2020). Crude oil imports increased by 2.7%/year from 2010 to 2018 and then dipped by 8% in 2020 to 58.5 Mt. The main suppliers of crude were in 2020: Nigeria (20%), Mexico (15%), and Saudi Arabia (10%).

Spain has 9 oil refineries with a total capacity of about 1.5 mb/d. In 2011, Repsol completed the capacity expansion of its Cartagena refinery (doubled to 220 kb/d), while Repsol commissioned a new coker unit (2 Mt/year) at its Bilbao refinery.

Interactive Chart Spain Crude Oil Production

Oil Products Consumption

Oil product consumption fell by 18.5% in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, it had been recovering since 2014 (+2.7%/year) to 50 Mt in 2019.

Nearly 56% of the oil consumption is absorbed by the transport sector, with power plants accounting for just 6% of oil demand.

Graph: OIL CONSUMPTION (Mt)

Graph: OIL CONSUMPTION BREAKDOWN BY SECTOR (2020, %)

Interactive Chart Spain Refined Oil Products Production

Natural Gas Consumption

The country's gas consumption decreased by 10% to 32 bcm in 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. It had been rising rapidly between 2014 and 2019 (+5.7%/year, of which 15% in 2019), as gas consumption in the power sector skyrocketed (+94%, including +52% in 2019), replacing coal-fired generation. Gas consumption fell rapidly between 2008 and 2014 (-6.3%/year) after an 11%/year surge between 2000 and 2008 with the rapid development of CCGT capacities.

Interactive Chart Spain Natural Gas Domestic Consumption

Coal Consumption

Most of the coal and lignite is used for power generation (64% in 2020), 27% in industry, and 7% in households, services and agriculture. Coal consumption has dropped by 81% since 2018, reaching 3.8 Mt in 2020, and by 12%/year (-64%) since 2011 with coal-fired unit closures.

Graph: COAL CONSUMPTION (Mt)

Graph: COAL CONSUMPTION BREAKDOWN BY SECTOR (2020, %)

Interactive Chart Spain Coal and Lignite Domestic Consumption

Power Consumption

The country's electricity consumption decreased by 6% to 228 TWh in 2020 after dipping by 1.6% in 2019, mainly due to lower demand from the industrial sector. It had previously recovered slightly between 2014 and 2018 (+1.3%/year). It decreased by 1.8%/year between 2008 and 2014 after very rapid growth between 2000 and 2008 (3.7%/year).

The share of electricity in final energy consumption regularly increases (25% in 2020, compared to 18% in 1990).

Graph: ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION (TWh)

Renewable in % Electricity Production

According to the National Action Plan for Renewable Energies (PANER, 2010), the share of renewables in final energy consumption should increase to 22.7% in 2020 (18% achieved in 2019), of which 18.9% for heating and cooling (18.9% in 2018), 13.6% in transport (7.6% in 2019), and 40% for electricity (37% in 2019). Under the NECP 2021-2030, renewables should cover 42% of final energy consumption in 2030. They should contribute 74% of power generation by 2030 and 100% in 2050.

Interactive Chart Spain Share of Renewables in Electricity Production (incl hydro)

CO₂ Fuel Combustion/CO₂ Emissions

After a 27% fall due to the economic downturn between 2007 and 2013, GHG emissions rose by 1.2%/year between 2013 and 2017, as thermal power generation had to offset lower hydro resources and as road transport emissions continued to rise. In 2018, Spain's GHG emissions dipped by 1.8% to 334 MtCO₂eq, i.e. 15.5% above their 1990 level.