In March 2024, natural gas consumption was “once again above the target for reducing demand for natural gas in the member states of the European Union (EU),” said a press release from Luxembourg’s economy ministry on 11 April. The country reduced its natural gas consumption by 27.8% compared with the average for the years 2017 to 2022. The announcement of these results comes at a time when Luxembourg, like other European nations, is endeavouring to minimise its dependence on fossil fuels and to respond to current energy challenges.

As a reminder, from October 2022 until December 2024, a limit of 15% above the average price in September 2022 was applied to the cost of gas for households. In addition, a temporary reduction of €0.20 per kilogram has been applied to the price of liquefied natural gas. This measure was introduced following the “exceptional rise in gas prices due to the international situation.” The surge in prices in 2022 had a “resounding impact on consumption,” said the grand duchy’s statistics bureau Statec in a business report.

Without the two measures introduced by the state--namely the payment of network usage charges and the contribution to limit the price rise in October 2022--the cost would have risen from €87.2/MWh to €106.9/MWh, the ILR detailed last year. Both measures are in force until the end of this year.

On 4 March, EU energy ministers recommended continuing these reduction efforts until 31 March 2025. Luxembourg’s minister for the economy, SMEs, energy and tourism, Lex Delles (DP), hailed this achievement, stating: “I congratulate all those involved for having contributed to meeting and even exceeding our natural gas reduction targets in Luxembourg.” Delles stressed the importance of not relaxing efforts in the current context, marked by “multiple crises.”

The government’s website offers practical advice on how to help save energy.

This article was first published in French on Paperjam. It has been translated and edited for Delano.