Electricity consumption in Europe is expected to more than double by 2050 compared to 2015, according to the European Commission (between +41% and +53% depending on the scenarios). This increase could go up to 60% according to the federation of the European electrical industry Eurelectric.
This jump in electricity consumption concerns not only households but also and above all, other sectors of the economy.
Households are not, in fact, the biggest consumers of electricity. In Belgium, for example, in 2019 they came in third place in final electricity consumption with a share of 22%, behind industry (45.8%) and services (25.8%) according to figures from SPF Energy compiled by the Belgian Federation of Electricity and Gas Companies.
In Europe, the transport sector should experience “the most spectacular development of its electricity consumption“among all sectors of the economy, according to the European Commission this electricity demand should therefore be multiplied by 10 between 2019 and 2050.
It is thus estimated that 214 million electric vehicles will be on European roads in 2050, i.e. more than 60% of the car fleet, according to the European research project HeatRoadMap (against 55 million expected in 2030). Another more tempered estimate from the Transport & Environment organization instead projects an increase of 30 million battery-electric passenger cars by 2050.”This will cause an additional demand of 85 TWh, i.e. an increase of less than 3% in the overall electricity demand“, can we read in their rapport.
As for the industry sector, the most energy-consuming in Europe, it is also on the way to massive electrification by 2050. The share of its electricity consumption should increase by 46% between 2019 and 2050 according to the forecasts of the European Commission.
The electricity produced in 2050 will therefore not only have to satisfy an ever-increasing demand for electricity from households, but also and above all from other sectors.