EU natural gas consumption falls in 11M2025

European Union natural gas consumption fell by 2.6% year on year in November 2025 to 33.8 billion cubic metres (bcm), as weaker residential heating demand and lower industrial use outweighed the impact of colder weather late in the month, CE Report informs, citing the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF).

A cold spell during the third week of November failed to lift overall gas demand, underscoring persistent structural weakness in consumption across the bloc, the report issued by GECF said.

“The fact that colder temperatures did not translate into higher monthly gas use shows that underlying demand weakness remains dominant,” the GECF noted, adding that brief temperature fluctuations had a limited effect on overall consumption.

Renewable energy output rose during the month, but was insufficient to fully cover higher power needs during colder periods, keeping gas a key balancing fuel, the report said.

“As a result, natural gas played a crucial role in covering the seasonal uptick in heating and power needs, ensuring system reliability during periods of high energy demand,” the GECF said.

EU electricity generation edged up by 0.2% year on year to 222 terawatt hours (TWh) in November. Gas-fired power generation jumped 7% from a year earlier, highlighting gas’s role in stabilizing the grid, particularly during the cold snap.

“Gas-fired plants once again proved essential in balancing the system when weather conditions tightened supply-demand dynamics,” the report said.

Solar and wind generation also expanded sharply, rising 26% and 7% year on year, respectively. In the overall power mix, non-hydro renewables accounted for the largest share at 32%, followed by nuclear at 25%, gas at 12%, hydro at 11% and coal at 11%.

“These trends reflect the ongoing transformation of Europe’s power sector,” the GECF said, “with renewables continuing to gain ground, while natural gas remains indispensable for reliability and flexibility.”