Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/281734 
Year of Publication: 
2023
Citation: 
[Journal:] Amfiteatru Economic Journal [ISSN:] 2247-9104 [Volume:] 25 [Issue:] 64 [Year:] 2023 [Pages:] 813-829
Publisher: 
The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest
Abstract: 
Energy-intensive sectors face significant challenges in meeting the goals of the new European Industrial Strategy and REPowerEU. This study aims to examine how energy consumption and energy mix in four energy-intensive sectors (primary metals; non-metallic minerals; pulp, paper, and printing; chemicals and petrochemicals) in the European Union evolved over the period 2008-2020 and whether there is a real relationship between changes in energy intensity and labour intensity. The results show positive trends in energy mix and intensity between 2008 and 2020 for all the energy-intensive sectors studied. There has been a shift from high to medium and low carbon energy sources, with the extent of this shift being influenced by the technological characteristics and path dependencies of each sector. The most positive change occurred in the paper, pulp and printing energy mix, where low-emitting energy sources increased by 12.2 percentage points. A strong (around 0.9) Pearson correlation exists between energy intensity and labour intensity evolution in the primary metals, non-metallic minerals, chemicals, and petrochemical sectors. The intensity indicators in the chemical and petrochemical sector show the most favourable improvement (a slight decrease in energy use and employment, with a 23.1% significant increase in value added). Typically, 7 to 8 countries account for 80% of the total value added in the examined sectors in the European Union; the energy mix of these countries electricity and heat production can support the clean transition.
Subjects: 
energy-intensive sectors
energy-mix
energy intensity
labour intensity
decarbonisation
REPowerEU Plan
Fit for 55!
JEL: 
L61
L65
Q21
Q42
Q55
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by Logo
Document Type: 
Article

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