Energy Consumption Structure and Development in European Transition Countries

Abstract

The structure and development of energy consumption in European transition countries, i.e., 11 former socialistic republics including Croatia, which are now new EU members, are considered. For the last twenty years, transition countries have been in the processes of changing their social, economic and political structures with considerable influence on the energy sector. In these former socialistic countries, due to a planned economy, the energy sector has not been significantly efficient. The structure and development of energy consumption on a national level in transition countries are analyzed and compared with the same indicators of the 12 developed European countries. Furthermore, the structure of energy consumption and its sector utilization in transition countries is presented. Finally, techno-economical solutions are proposed.