ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the Community’s demand response and conservation effort. Aggregate energy intensity will improve if every sector of the economy becomes less energy intensive, with strong conservation efforts being pursued by industrial and residential consumers. The two indicators–energy and oil import dependence—reflect both this element of demand conservation and a corresponding supply side effect. The amount of conservation effort varied between member states with energy intensity falling most notably in Belgium, Denmark, France and Luxembourg. In analysing the conservation responses of energy users in Europe to the oil price rises, some initial considerations need to be borne in mind. The most notable performance was the drop in the oil intensity of real gross domestic product reflecting the force of the oil price shocks on both final consumers of oil products and intermediate users such as the electricity supply industries in the Community.
