2018 primary energy production goes down 1.7pct; energy product imports went up 4.2pct

Romania's primary energy production declined by 1.7 percent in 2018 against the previous year, energy resources imports increased by 4.2 percent, gross inland consumption went up 0.4 percent, whereas final energy consumption increased by 1.5 percent, according to the data published on Friday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). 

According to the INS, the total energy resources available in 2018 remained at a relatively constant level with the ones in 2017, accounting for 43.2 million tonnes oil equivalent (toe) and the decline in the primary energy production (-1.7 percent) being balanced by the imports of energy resources (+4.2 percent). 

Of the primary energy resources, significant changes were recorded in coal resources, which declined by 455,000 toe (-8.5 percent). Crude oil resources and electricity increased by 269,000 toe, 147,000 toe, respectively. 

Primary energy production which stood at 24.979 million toe in 2018, declined by 438,000 toe against 2017, due to the decline in the production of coal, crude oil and usable natural gas, but it continued to preserve its significant share in the total energy resources, accounting for 57.8 percent of them. 

Electricity production from renewable resources (hydroelectric, wind and solar photovoltaic) recorded an increase of 8.6 percent (+178,000 toe) against the last year. 

The import of energy products went up 4.2 percent compared to last year, mainly due to import increases of crude oil (+511,000 toe), usable natural gas (+258,000 toe) and imported oil products (11,000 toe). Coal imports (including coke) declined by 78,000 toe. 

Final energy consumption in 2018 increased by 342,000 toe (+1.5 percent) compared to 2017. 

Final energy consumption in industry (including construction) increased by 212,000 toe (+3.3 percent), mainly due to industrial branches with high consumption of energy resources, such as chemical and pharmaceutical industry, rubber and plastics products (+87,000 toe) and metallic construction, machinery and equipment industry (+101,000 toe), whose cumulated energy consumptions account for 32.3 percent of final energy consumption in industry (including construction). In metallurgy, the final energy consumption increased by 0.4 percent as against the previous year. 

Beside industry, the tertiary sector, population and agriculture also contributed to the increase in final energy consumption. 

In 2018, energy export (including bunkering) increased against 2017 by 182,000 toe (3.1 percent). 

In 2018, the gross inland consumption per inhabitant stood at 1,721 kg oil equivalent, increasing by 0.9 percent compared to 2017.