Gas consumption has plummeted across Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with EU and UK figures suggesting consumers have slashed usage in response to price rises.
European Union countries cut gas usage by 19.3% between August and January, prompting savings of around €12bn, according to think tank Ember.
Results from Iberdrola-owned ScottishPower on Wednesday suggested UK consumers had made similar changes too, with its 4.7mln customers consuming 18.3% less electricity in 2022.
It comes after the UK produced a record amount of energy from renewable sources during the year, amounting to roughly 40% of its total generation.
Wholesale gas rose over 110% in value following the start of the war, leading European countries to ramp up the search for alternatives.
“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shocked Europe into action,” commented Ember analyst Sarah Brown, “gaping vulnerabilities due to fossil fuel dependence became a stark reality”.
“The last year has been a scramble to address these risks through an accelerated transition to a cleaner, more secure power system,” she added.
International Energy Agency boss Fatih Birol previously suggested in October that the war had prompted a "turning point" in the World's transition to clean tech, as countries raced to secure energy security.
Gas prices have since fallen to pre-war levels, currently sitting at 126p per British thermal unit compared to 640p in August.