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Partly because the number of days on which heating was needed increased, more energy was consumed last year. (File photo)
Keystone
Switzerland’s final energy consumption rose slightly in 2025 compared to the previous year, by 0.2 percent to 777,870 terajoules (TJ). The main reasons for this are colder weather compared to the previous year and an increase in aviation fuel sales.
18.06.2026, 11:16
18.06.2026, 14:38The number of heating degree days increased by 5.6 percent compared to the previous year, as the Swiss Federal Office of Energy announced on Thursday. Other factors driving the long-term growth trend in energy consumption also increased: these include the permanent resident population, gross domestic product, the number of motor vehicles, and the housing stock.
Higher Fuel Consumption
Compared to the previous year, aviation fuel sales rose by 3.2 percent and are now just slightly below the peak consumption level of 2018. Gasoline and diesel sales, on the other hand, fell by 1.0 percent overall.
According to the latest data, fossil fuels account for approximately one-third of total final energy consumption. Consumption of biofuels increased compared to the previous year (+9.5 percent). Their share of total gasoline and diesel sales also rose, exceeding 5 percent for the first time.
Slight Increase in Electricity
Electricity consumption rose by 0.8 percent. However, consumption of extra-light heating oil and natural gas decreased by 4.3 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively, compared to the previous year. These three energy sources account for about half of final energy consumption.
The use of industrial waste for energy purposes rose by 2.1 percent. By contrast, consumption of coal and petroleum coke fell by a total of 21.1 percent, while consumption of medium and heavy heating oil remained at zero. The share of these four energy sources in total final energy consumption is low (less than 2 percent).
More Renewables
According to the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, renewable energy sources are increasingly replacing fossil fuels for heating. For example, the use of ambient heat with heat pumps increased by 8.4 percent, as did the consumption of district heating (+6.5 percent). The renewable share of district heating continued to rise, reaching 44.7 percent in 2025. By contrast, the consumption of solar thermal energy and wood fuel declined slightly (-1.5 percent and -0.5 percent, respectively).
The direct use of biogas increased by 0.5 percent. When biogas fed into the natural gas grid (which is statistically classified as gas) is taken into account, biogas consumption rose by 12.9 percent. The share of renewable energy sources in total final energy consumption stood at 27.5 percent in 2025.
In 2025, Swiss electricity consumption (final consumption) rose by about 0.8 percent compared to the previous year, reaching 58.0 terawatt-hours (TWh). Domestic electricity production (national generation) fell by about 16.7 percent to 67.5 TWh. In 2025, 55.5 percent of electricity production came from hydropower plants (run-of-river plants 24.2 percent, pumped-storage plants 31.3 percent), 27.2 percent from nuclear power plants, and 17.3 percent from thermal and renewable power generation facilities (thermal generation 5.3 percent, wind power 0.2 percent, and solar power 11.8 percent).
