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03 June 2020
Go to release: Fuel Excise Clearances April 2020
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (3 June 2020) issued a new statistical release Fuel Excise Clearances April 2020.
Commenting on the release, Paul McElvaney, Statistician, said:
‘The volume of excise clearances of autodiesel was 55.2% lower in April 2020 than in April 2019. The April 2020 figure of 139 million litres of autodiesel was the lowest monthly excise clearance figure in the 2000-2020 series. The reduction in clearances of autodiesel occurred despite decreases in March and April 2020 in the Wholesale Price Index for autodiesel.
There was a sharper decrease in excise clearances of unleaded petrol (-72.0%) in April 2020 compared to April 2019, reflecting that its main use is for private transport.
Excise clearances of kerosene, which is mainly used as a heating fuel, in April 2020 were 79.7% higher than in April 2019. This may be due to a combination of factors such as: more people staying at home; large price decreases; and emptier central heating tanks at the end of the winter.
Excise clearances of marked gas oil, (used for off-road purposes such as agriculture and in commercial central heating), were 10.0% higher in April 2020 compared with April 2019.
This release also shows trends in annual excise clearance volumes. The volume of autodiesel clearances was 2.0 billion litres in 2000 rising to a record high of 3.7 billion litres in 2019. Excise clearances of unleaded petrol were around the same level as autodiesel, around 2.0 billion litres in 2000. Unleaded petrol rose to 2.4 billion litres in 2007 but decreased since then, largely due to changes in the vehicle taxation system, resulting in substantial moves to diesel cars. In 2019, excise clearances of unleaded petrol were 1.0 billion litres.
Finally, this release also shows trends in monthly mean temperatures for 2010-2020. Cold spells such as those in January 2010 and December 2010 can have an impact on excise clearances of home heating fuels, with February 2010 showing the highest February figure for kerosene excise clearances in the 2000-2020 series. November and December 2010 were also the highest monthly figures for those months in the 2000-2019 series.’
The data used in this statistical release mainly relate to the Revenue Commissioners monthly excise clearance volumes. Clearances reflect the duty paid amounts of oil removed from tax warehouses. The use of transport fuels such as autodiesel and unleaded petrol are less seasonal than the use of home heating fuels. Price changes, exceptionally cold weather, and storage capacity (home heating oil tanks) can all combine to create marked variations in the monthly clearances. Levels of activity in the economy and changes in the vehicle fleet composition can affect the volume of excise clearances of road fuels.
Paul McElvaney (+353) 1 498 4000 or Dimitri Cernize (+353) 1 498 4000
or email environment@cso.ie
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