Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
In 2020, the industrial sector accounted for 26% of final energy consumption, making it the third largest energy end user in the European Union, after transport and households. Energy use is essential in the industrial sector primarily for industrial processes but also for non-process purposes, such as space heating, cooling or lighting. According to the European Statistical Office in Brussels, Eurostat.

Data for 2020 shows that electricity and natural gas account for nearly two-thirds of final energy consumption in the EU industrial sector (33% and 32%, respectively).

Renewables and biofuels, along with oil and petroleum products accounted for 10% each, followed by solid fossil fuels and derived heat, both with a 6% share in the mix. Non-renewable waste represents 2% (numbers may not increase due to rounding).

Segmentation by energy product also illustrates the sector's dependence on fossil fuels. Natural gas, oil, petroleum products, solid fossil fuels and non-renewable wastes together account for more than half (about 51%) of final energy consumption in the industry in 2020. In 2022, REPowerEU tries to address this strong dependence on fossil fuels in the EU industry, from By introducing measures calling for transforming industrial processes to replace gas, oil and coal with renewable electricity and fossil-free hydrogen.

The most important consuming sectors in the industry

Within the industrial sector, the two largest consumers of energy in the EU in 2020 were the 'chemical and petrochemical industry' (2,112 petajoules (PJ) or 22% of total final energy consumption in the industry in 2020), and the 'non-metallic minerals' industry ( PJ 1372 or 14%) and 'Paper, Pulp and Printing Industry' (PJ 1326 or 14%).

The only other sector consuming more than 10% of the total was the "Food, Beverage and Tobacco Industry" (1147 PJ or 12%).

The chemical and petrochemical industry was heavily dependent on natural gas. The chemicals and chemical products industry consumed 630 BJ (34% of the total final energy consumption of this sector) of natural gas in 2020, and the basic pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical products industry consumed 52 BJ (41% of the total final energy). consumption for this sector). Electricity was the second most important energy producer for both sectors in 2020.