Energy Shift
What is the Cost of Europe’s Energy Crisis?
What is the Cost of Europe’s Energy Crisis?
Europe is scrambling to cut its reliance on Russian fossil fuels.
As European gas prices soar eight times their 10-year average, countries are introducing policies to curb the impact of rising prices on households and businesses. These include everything from the cost of living subsidies to wholesale price regulation. Overall, funding for such initiatives has reached $276 billion as of August.
With the continent thrown into uncertainty, the above chart shows allocated funding by country in response to the energy crisis.
The Energy Crisis, In Numbers
Using data from Bruegel, the below table reflects spending on national policies, regulation, and subsidies in response to the energy crisis for select European countries between September 2021 and July 2022. All figures in U.S. dollars.
| Country | Allocated Funding | Percentage of GDP | Household Energy Spending, Average Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇩🇪 Germany | $60.2B | 1.7% | 9.9% |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | $49.5B | 2.8% | 10.3% |
| 🇫🇷 France | $44.7B | 1.8% | 8.5% |
| 🇬🇧 U.K. | $37.9B | 1.4% | 11.3% |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | $27.3B | 2.3% | 8.9% |
| 🇦🇹 Austria | $9.1B | 2.3% | 8.9% |
| 🇵🇱 Poland | $7.6B | 1.3% | 12.9% |
| 🇬🇷 Greece | $6.8B | 3.7% | 9.9% |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | $6.2B | 0.7% | 8.6% |
| 🇨🇿 Czech Republic | $5.9B | 2.5% | 16.1% |
| 🇧🇪 Belgium | $4.1B | 0.8% | 8.2% |
| 🇷🇴 Romania | $3.8B | 1.6% | 12.5% |
| 🇱🇹 Lithuania | $2.0B | 3.6% | 10.0% |
| 🇸🇪 Sweden | $1.9B | 0.4% | 9.2% |
| 🇫🇮 Finland | $1.2B | 0.5% | 6.1% |
| 🇸🇰 Slovakia | $1.0B | 1.0% | 14.0% |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | $1.0B | 0.2% | 9.2% |
| 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | $0.8B | 1.2% | 11.2% |
| 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | $0.8B | 1.1% | n/a |
| 🇭🇷 Croatia | $0.6B | 1.1% | 14.3% |
| 🇱🇻 Lativia | $0.5B | 1.4% | 11.6% |
| 🇩🇰 Denmark | $0.5B | 0.1% | 8.2% |
| 🇸🇮 Slovenia | $0.3B | 0.5% | 10.4% |
| 🇲🇹 Malta | $0.2B | 1.4% | n/a |
| 🇪🇪 Estonia | $0.2B | 0.8% | 10.9% |
| 🇨🇾 Cyprus | $0.1B | 0.7% | n/a |
Source: Bruegel, IMF. Euro and pound sterling exchange rates to U.S. dollar as of August 25, 2022.
Germany is spending over $60 billion to combat rising energy prices. Key measures include a $300 one-off energy allowance for workers, in addition to $147 million in funding for low-income families. Still, energy costs are forecasted to increase by an additional $500 this year for households.
In Italy, workers and pensioners will receive a $200 cost of living bonus. Additional measures, such as tax credits for industries with high energy usage were introduced, including a $800 million fund for the automotive sector.
With energy bills predicted to increase three-fold over the winter, households in the U.K. will receive a $477 subsidy in the winter to help cover electricity costs.
Meanwhile, many Eastern European countries—whose households spend a higher percentage of their income on energy costs— are spending more on the energy crisis as a percentage of GDP. Greece is spending the highest, at 3.7% of GDP.
Utility Bailouts
Energy crisis spending is also extending to massive utility bailouts.
Uniper, a German utility firm, received $15 billion in support, with the government acquiring a 30% stake in the company. It is one of the largest bailouts in the country’s history. Since the initial bailout, Uniper has requested an additional $4 billion in funding.
Not only that, Wien Energie, Austria’s largest energy company, received a €2 billion line of credit as electricity prices have skyrocketed.
Deepening Crisis
Is this the tip of the iceberg? To offset the impact of high gas prices, European ministers are discussing even more tools throughout September in response to a threatening energy crisis.
To reign in the impact of high gas prices on the price of power, European leaders are considering a price ceiling on Russian gas imports and temporary price caps on gas used for generating electricity, among others.
Price caps on renewables and nuclear were also suggested.
Given the depth of the situation, the chief executive of Shell said that the energy crisis in Europe would extend beyond this winter, if not for several years.
Energy Shift
Charted: Coal Still Dominates Global Electricity Generation
Fossil fuels account for nearly 60% of power generation.
Charted: Coal Still Dominates Global Electricity Generation
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
Key Takeaways
- Fossil fuels made up nearly 60% of 2024 electricity generation.
- Coal accounts for 35% of total power generation.
Fossil Fuels Still Power Most of the World
Global energy demand grew faster than average in 2024, driven by rising electricity use across sectors. The power sector led the surge, with demand growing nearly twice as fast as overall energy use—fueled by increased cooling needs, industrial activity, transport electrification, and the expansion of data centers and AI.
Despite a growing push toward cleaner energy sources, coal remains the leading source of electricity generation worldwide. In 2024, fossil fuels accounted for nearly 60% of global power generation, with coal alone contributing 35%, according to the International Energy Agency.
While renewable energy continues to expand, making up about one-third of total electricity production, the global energy mix still leans heavily on traditional sources.
| Country | Coal | Natural Gas | Oil | Renewables | Nuclear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇮🇳 India | 73.4% | 3.3% | 0.2% | 20.5% | 2.6% |
| 🇨🇳 China | 58.4% | 3.2% | 0.1% | 33.9% | 4.4% |
| 🇺🇸 U.S. | 15.6% | 42.6% | 0.7% | 23.3% | 17.9% |
| 🇪🇺 EU | 10.7% | 15.6% | 1.5% | 48.7% | 23.6% |
| 🌍 Global | 34.5% | 21.8% | 2.4% | 32.1% | 9.1% |
In emerging markets and developing economies, coal continues to be the backbone of power systems. China, the world’s largest energy consumer, generated nearly 60% of its electricity from coal. In India, coal’s dominance is even more pronounced, providing close to three-quarters of all electricity produced.
In contrast, advanced economies are increasingly relying on cleaner sources. In 2024, the European Union made significant strides in renewable energy adoption—nearly half of its electricity came from renewables, far exceeding the global average.
In the United States, natural gas led the power mix, accounting for over 40% of electricity generation in 2024. President Trump’s pro-coal policies and the surge in energy demand from AI innovation are expected to boost coal production in the U.S. over the next few years.
Learn More on the Voronoi App 
If you enjoyed this topic, check out this graphic that shows how 36 companies are responsible for half of the fossil fuel and cement CO2 emissions.
Energy Shift
How the Largest Importers of Russian Fossil Fuels Have Changed (2022 vs. 2025)
Despite sanctions against Moscow, the EU remains a key consumer of Russian fossil fuels.
How the Largest Importers of Russian Fossil Fuels Have Changed (2022 vs. 2025)
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
Since the war in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, Russia has earned $915 billion from fossil fuel exports, with EU countries accounting for over $223 billion.
Despite sanctions against Moscow, the EU remains a key consumer of Russian fossil fuels.
This graphic highlights the largest importers of Russian fossil fuels, based on the daily flow of oil and gas, using data from the CREA Fossil Fuel Tracker as of March 2025.
China Becomes the Biggest Buyer
In June 2022, China overtook the EU as the largest importer of Russian fossil fuels. Today, China imports nearly six times more than the EU. India and Turkey have also emerged as major buyers.
| Country | 2022-01-14 (tonnes) | 2025-03-13 (tonnes) |
|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇳 China | 435,025 | 607,288 |
| 🇪🇺 EU | 928,998 | 104,646 |
| 🌍 Others | 244,945 | 275,747 |
| 🇮🇳 India | 28,907 | 344,848 |
| 🇹🇷 Turkey | 138,860 | 239,662 |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | 93,267 | 30,255 |
| 🇺🇸 United States | 33,468 | 0 |
| 🇬🇧 UK | 49,062 | 0 |
Meanwhile, imports from the U.S. and UK, which were relatively small before the invasion, have dropped to zero.
EU Reliance on Russian Fuel
A report released by Ember estimates that European purchases of Russian gas amounted to €21.9 billion ($23.6 billion) in 2024.
Additionally, data collected by Kpler and analyzed by POLITICO Europe revealed that in the first 15 days of 2025, the 27 EU countries imported a record-high 837,300 metric tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia. This has raised concerns that billions of dollars could be fueling Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
Russia’s Position in Global Oil Production
Russia remains one of the world’s top oil producers, frequently competing with Saudi Arabia for the second spot behind the United States.
Following the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia’s oil industry was privatized, but in 2021, the state forced a consolidation and restructuring of the sector. Today, Gazprom, Rosneft, and Lukoil are Russia’s leading oil and gas producers.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
If you enjoyed this topic, check out this graphic that shows Ukraine’s mineral resources.
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