Electricity and gas consumption in Hungary increased last year, here are the latest figures
Electricity market data
In the last quarter of last year, measured electricity consumption was 3.4% higher than in the same period of the previous year, the Ministry said, citing data from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH). This means that the consumption data for the whole of 2024 is now available, which was above the 41 TWh recorded in 2023 (41.9 TWh), but
still well below the 43-44 TWh recorded in 2021-2022.
It is important to note that this does not include the production of small household-scale power plants (HMKEs), for which there are only estimates, and these show that last year they already covered about 6.6% of total consumption. In both the second and third quarters, when the weather was clearer, the figure was around 9%, the ministry notes. By the end of 2024, 293,000 small-scale solar power plants will have been installed, with a total installed capacity approaching 2,700 megawatts.
Gas market data
In the fourth quarter of 2024, natural gas consumption increased by 371.5 million m³ compared to the same period in 2023, according to a statement based on data provided by the MVM Group. The combined 13.8% change is the result of a 17% increase in residential consumption and an 11.7% increase in commercial consumption.
As in the year before last year, the total annual gas consumption in 2024 was around 8.5 billion m³, of which 3 billion m³ was attributable to households.
In 2024, total annual consumption for families will decrease minimally by 0.3% and increase by 1.4% for businesses and institutions,
the data shows.
In the last year before the international energy crisis, in 2021, 11.2 billion m³ of natural gas will be consumed in Hungary, the ministry said. Since then, consumption has been cut by about a quarter, and this has essentially been maintained in 2024. The result bodes well for the success of climate protection efforts: fossil-based energy production in Hungary already fell by 18% in 2023, while solar power plants produced one and a half times more electricity than in 2022, the ministry recalled.
Greening the energy sector has been a major contributor to Hungary reaching the 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions target for 2030 seven years early. The revised National Energy and Climate Plan therefore already targets halving emissions by the beginning of the next decade compared to the 1990 base year.
Lower gas consumption will also strengthen security of supply for domestic consumers. Import exposure is also reduced by increased domestic production. High-capacity storage facilities are still two-thirds full in winter and in the middle of the heating season. The resulting stock of around 4.5 billion m³ covers one and a half times annual domestic demand, the ministry points out. Therefore, the shutdown of Ukrainian gas transit in the New Year does not directly threaten the uninterrupted supply, but initial experience shows that it has caused a significant increase in market prices.
In order to reduce gas consumption and ensure a successful green transition, the Ministry of Energy is preparing a number of measures this year as well, they remind. First of all, the energy home renovation programme, which supports the modernisation of family houses with up to HUF 6 million, will be reopened on 20 January 2025 with more favourable conditions and a simpler procedure.
Cover photo (for illustration purposes only): Shutterstock
