Rising temperatures are reshaping household electricity demand.
Brussels | July 2026
Household energy consumption for cooling across the European Union nearly doubled between 2018 and 2024, rising from 40,500 to 80,400 terajoules. Compared with 2010, demand increased by approximately 420%, reflecting the rapid expansion of air conditioning during increasingly severe heat waves.
Austria recorded the largest percentage increase, although it began from a low consumption level. Cooling demand also rose sharply in Czechia, Italy, Hungary, Finland, Spain, Slovenia and Greece, while Germany registered a comparatively modest increase.
Italy now consumes the most cooling energy in the EU, accounting for nearly one-third of the bloc’s total. Spain ranks second, followed by Greece, while cooling represents an especially large share of household energy use in Cyprus and Malta.
The trend is placing additional pressure on electricity networks and family budgets. Better insulation, efficient cooling systems and climate-conscious urban design will be essential to prevent higher temperatures from producing equally rapid increases in energy consumption.
Europa se enfría mientras el planeta continúa calentándose. / Europe is cooling itself while the planet continues to warm.