Weather, Policy Prove Mixed Bag for EU Demand

摘要

Bar the odd exception, natural gas demand increased across the EU in the first half of 2017, fueled largely by gas-fired power generation in Southern and Eastern Europe. The performance marked a bright spot in the general gloom surrounding forecasts for European gas consumption in a decarbonizing world: The International Energy Agency and Cedigaz see regional demand flat out to 2022 and 2035, respectively, capped by renewables' growing share of power generation (WGI Jul.19' 17). But the first-half data suggests gas might have some life in it yet before climate change policies start hitting fossil fuels hard.