Energy in the Basque Country

From 1960 onwards, Basque energy demand grew at important rates, parallel to economic development, up to a level that was maintained with the 1973 and 1978 oil crises. In the following decade, the combination of Basque industrial restructuring, energy efficiency and innovation policies enabled significant growth in Basque economic activity while decreasing energy consumption from past levels. This situation lasted until the late 1990s, when demand grew as a result of significant growth in economic activity and a context of moderate energy prices. Despite this, demand remained at similar levels to the 1970s.

Looking to the future, the studies of medium-long term energy forecasts and trends carried out indicate that, in the Basque Country, greater mobility and the increasingly important use of private road transport and, to a lesser extent, the gradual increase of service and comfort levels in the tertiary sector, will be the sectors most directly responsible for the increase in final consumption in coming years. Moreover, energy demand will be affected by higher electric self-generation to replace importation. Analyses performed indicate that, without an institutional energy saving and efficiency policy, the energy needs in the 2000-2020 period increase would more than 60%. Therefore, an energy policy which is maintained in the long term, enabling more rational use, with lower environmental impact, will be essential to implement effective control of energy consumption.