Erfurt (dpa/th) – Thuringia’s industry had already reduced its energy consumption measured in terms of sales before the energy crisis. According to the State Statistical Office in Erfurt on Thursday, energy consumption in 2021 was 61.2 million gigajoules, measured against sales of 36.8 billion euros. This means that the energy consumption per 1000 euros in sales last year was 1.67 gigajoules. In 2020 it was still 1.87 gigajoules. Many companies are currently stepping up their efforts to save energy, mainly because of the exploding gas and electricity prices.
At 1.59 gigajoules, the energy intensity of the Wartburg district as an industrial heavyweight in Thuringia was slightly lower than the state value, the statisticians determined. Automotive suppliers and manufacturers as well as the metal industry dominate in the Wartburg district. For the city of Jena, which is heavily influenced by the optical industry, an energy intensity of only 0.51 gigajoules was calculated. In Thuringia, the Saale-Orla district was the most energy-intensive with a value of 4.47 gigajoules. Paper manufacturers, among others, have their headquarters there.
Thuringia’s industrial companies had produced less energy for their own supply last year than they had since 2005 because some industrial power generation plants were out of operation – mainly for maintenance work. In the case of renewable sources, bio-energy sources were primarily used, including benn liquor, a by-product of paper production, and biogas.
