Spanish Gas Demand Up 14% on 2018

Provisional data show that Spanish gas demand for 2019 was up by about 14% over the previous year, reaching 398 TWh – the highest since 2010 – according to gas transmission company Enagas. In a December 30 statement it said the increase "was mainly due to extraordinarily high demand for natural gas for electricity generation and higher industrial consumption." This contributed to an even larger percentage drop in carbon emissions, which were down 25% in the energy mix compared with 2018 and saved 14mn metric tons of CO2.

Demand for natural gas for power generation in 2019 grew by about 80% compared with the previous year, reaching 111 TWh, the highest figure recorded since 2010. Low hydroelectric power generation and relatively expensive coal drove the rise. 

Industrial demand, which accounts for 54% of the total, reached 214 TWh, up 2% over that of the previous year. This is also the highest figure ever recorded since disaggregated data for industrial demand have been collected. Demand grew in almost all industrial sectors, particularly in the services sector.

The regions where total natural gas demand increased the most in 2019 were Navarre (+65%), Asturias (+36%) and Galicia (+34%). 

In a context of high levels of liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage and lower prices than in other European countries, Spain increased its natural gas exports to Europe via the Pyrenees in the last two months of the year.

In a context of energy transition, these figures show the important role played by natural gas in guaranteeing supply and as a back-up for renewable energies at times of record demand, Enagas said.