Maltese consume least energy in EU

Maltese households are the lowest energy consumers in the EU, according to a report issued by the EU’s Environment Agency.

But while energy efficiency on the island is on the rise, it is lower than the EU’s average and Malta is only one of six member states with increasing annual energy consumption.

The Energy Efficiency and Energy Consumption in the Household Sector report shows that in 2009 (latest available data), the average Maltese household consumed 0.63 tons of oil equivalent (Toe) per dwelling, less than half the average in the EU27, which stood at 1.48 Toe per dwelling.

According to the report’s authors, this stark difference was mainly due to Malta’s favourable climatic conditions and the lack of central heating required in the majority of houses in other member states.

Apart from Malta, the other member states with the lowest energy consumption per household – Portugal, Spain and Cyprus – also enjoy warm southern climates.

“Malta is fortunate in a sense that due to its warm climate, there is no need of a year-round heating system. This is the main factor why Maltese households consume much less energy than those in other member states,” the report says.

In 2009, space heating consumed the bulk of energy in EU households (1.1 Toe), followed by electricity for lighting and appliances (0.22 Toe), water heating (0.18 Toe) and cooking (0.06 Toe).

Energy efficiency is up across the board thanks to more efficient electrical appliances and better house building regulations including improved insulation methods.

Between 1990 and 2009, energy efficiency in EU households improved by 1.43 per cent a year, the EEA said.

Although almost all member states managed to improve their efficiency, Malta’s rate over the same period, calculated at 1.03 per cent a year, is lower than the EU average.

The report states that new dwellings built in 2009 consumed about 40 per cent less energy than those built in 1990, because of new building codes.

Energy consumption is down in the majority of member states, particularly due to rising costs, with the only exception being Malta and four other member states (Greece, Cyprus, Spain and Finland).

Despite increasing prices, with Maltese consumers paying among the highest tariffs in the EU, between 1990 and 2009 Maltese households were still increasing their consumption by about 2.3 per cent an annually.

On the other hand, the average household in the EU lowered its consumption by some 0.8 per cent annually.

The use of renewable energy is on the rise in Malta as by 2009 the island was the fourth highest user of solar water heaters with 11 per cent of households using this method to heat their boilers.

Renewable Energy

New Eurostat data published yesterday shows that in 2010 Malta had the lowest share of renewable energy in the EU 27 even though the island has managed to double its share in just a year.

In 2010, Malta’s renewable energy as a percentage of gross final energy consumption stood at just 0.4 per cent. It was 0.2 per cent in 2009.

The EU27 average in 2010 was 12.4 per cent. According to an EU directive, renewable energy in the EU has to reach 20 per cent by 2020. Malta’s target is set at 10 per cent.

Among the member states, Sweden (47.9 per cent) had the largest share of renewable energy in 2010 followed by Latvia (32.6 per cent) and Finland (32.2 per cent).