The EU's natural gas demand could rise 7% on the year in 2015, mainly due to cooler weather, according to a annual survey conducted by the Brussels-based gas association Eurogas and released Friday. The survey covers about 87% of the EU gas markets and did not give outright volumes. In March Eurogas estimated demand for gas in the EU and Switzerland in 2014 at 412 Bcm. The weather in 2015 was generally at seasonal norms, unlike in 2013 and in 2014 when the temperatures were particularly warm in some countries. The weather differential means that consumers had to use more gas for heating in the first half of 2015 than last year. "Taking into account the 9% [demand] rise in the first half of the year, and expectations for the second half, the total increase in gas demand across the EU for 2015 is expected to reach 7%," said Eurogas. Eurogas said they were expecting the second half of 2015 to increase at a lower rate of about 5% year on year. Other drivers have pushed up demand for power generation so far. As European economy recovered in the first half of the year, additional industrial demand supported gas consumption, notably in France. In Austria, higher demand for the combined heat and power has also boosted gas consumption so far in 2015. However, Eurogas said that low coal prices would cap gas demand growth in 2015. "This latest data underlines the opportunities and successes of gas to bolster our European energy system, as well as meet varying regional and local needs," the association said.

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