In 2022, transport activities accounted for 31 percent of the final energy consumption in the European Union, which made it the highest consumer of final energy, ahead of households (27%) and industry (25%) according to figures from Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU.
Road transport was the largest energy consumer, responsible for 74% of all energy consumption in transport, or 10 996 petajoules (PJ). Water transport accounted for 13% of all energy consumed in transport (1 935 PJ), followed by air (11%; 1 700 PJ) and rail transport (1%; 214 PJ).
Compared with 2021, air transport recorded the highest increase in energy consumption, with a striking 57% rise.
In 2022, energy consumption levels in air transport were approaching the pre-pandemic figures, following sharp declines in 2020 and 2021.
Fossil fuels dominate transportation
In 2022, gas/diesel oil (excluding the biofuel portion) was the main source of energy in road transport in the EU, with a 65% share.
Motor gasoline (excluding the biofuel portion) followed at 25%, ahead of renewables and biofuels (6%), liquefied petroleum gases – LPG (2%), natural gas (1%), and electricity (0.3%).
In most EU countries, gas/diesel oil was the primary source of energy for road transport, though there were noticeable differences between the countries.
The highest shares were reported in Latvia (80%) and Lithuania (76%), followed by Ireland, Austria, and Spain, each at 74%. In contrast, the lowest shares were recorded in Sweden (45%), Cyprus (46%), and the Netherlands (48%).
The share of motor gasoline was highest in Cyprus (50%), the Netherlands (42%), and Malta (36%). The lowest shares were reported in Lithuania (13%), Latvia (14%) and Bulgaria (15%).
