The average for 2022 based on 190 countries was 139.5 billion kilowatthours. The highest value was in China: 8349.31 billion kilowatthours and the lowest value was in Montserrat: 0.02 billion kilowatthours. The indicator is available from 1980 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

China is the largest consumer of primary energy in the world, having used some 176.35 exajoules in 2024. This is a lot more than what the United States consumed, which comes in second place. The majority of primary energy fuels worldwide are still derived from fossil fuels, such as oil and coal. China's energy mix China’s primary energy mix has shifted from a dominant use of coal to an increase in natural gas and renewable sources. Since 2013, the renewables share in total energy consumption has grown by around eight percentage points. Overall, global primary energy consumption has increased over the last decade, and it is expected to experience the largest growth in emerging economies like the BRIC countries - Brazil, Russia, India, and China. What is primary energy? Primary energy is the energy inherent in natural resources such as crude oil, coal, and wind before further transformation. For example, crude oil can be refined into secondary fuels, such as gasoline or diesel, while wind is harnessed for electricity - itself a secondary energy source. A country’s total primary energy supply is a measure of the country’s primary energy sources. Meanwhile, end-use energy is the energy directly consumed by the user and includes primary fuels such as natural gas, as well as secondary sources, like electricity and gasoline.

Iceland is by far the largest per capita consumer of electricity worldwide, averaging 51.9 megawatt-hours per person in 2024. This results from a combination of factors, such as low-cost electricity production, increased heating demand, and the presence of energy-intensive industries in the country. Norway, Qatar, and Canada were also some of the world's largest electricity consumers per capita that year. China is the leading overall power consumer Power-intensive industries, the purchasing power of the average citizen, household size, and general power efficiency standards all contribute to the amount of electricity that is consumed per person every year. However, in terms of total electricity consumption, a country's size and population can also play an important role. In 2024, the three most populous countries in the world, namely China, the United States, and India, were also the three largest electricity consumers. Global electricity consumption on the rise In 2023, net electricity consumption worldwide amounted to over 27,000 terawatt-hours, an increase of 30 percent in comparison to a decade earlier. When compared to 1980, global electricity consumption more than tripled. On the generation side, the world is still strongly dependent on fossil fuels. Despite the world's renewable energy capacity quintupling in the last decade, coal and gas combined still accounted for almost 60 percent of global electricity generation in 2023.

Over the past half a century, the world's electricity consumption has continuously grown, reaching approximately 27,000 terawatt-hours by 2023. Between 1980 and 2023, electricity consumption more than tripled, while the global population reached eight billion people. Growth in industrialization and electricity access across the globe has further boosted electricity demand. China's economic rise and growth in global power use Since 2000, China's GDP has recorded an astonishing 15-fold increase, turning it into the second-largest global economy, behind only the United States. To fuel the development of its billion-strong population and various manufacturing industries, China requires more energy than any other country. As a result, it has become the largest electricity consumer in the world. Electricity consumption per capita In terms of per capita electricity consumption, China and other BRIC countries are still vastly outpaced by developed economies with smaller population sizes. Iceland, with a population of less than half a million inhabitants, consumes by far the most electricity per person in the world. Norway, Qatar, Canada, and the United States also have among the highest consumption rates. Multiple contributing factors, such as the existence of power-intensive industries, household sizes, living situations, appliance and efficiency standards, and access to alternative heating fuels, determine the amount of electricity the average person requires in each country.

China Electricity Consumption: per Capita: Average data was reported at 6,257.000 kWh in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 6,032.000 kWh for 2021. China Electricity Consumption: per Capita: Average data is updated yearly, averaging 1,066.997 kWh from Dec 1978 (Median) to 2022, with 45 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6,257.000 kWh in 2022 and a record low of 261.265 kWh in 1978. China Electricity Consumption: per Capita: Average data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Utility Sector – Table CN.RCB: Electricity Summary.

Global Energy Consumption in Industry by Country, 2023 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Qatar has the highest per capita energy consumption worldwide. In 2024, residents in Qatar used an average of *** megawatt-hours worth of energy - all of which was derived from fossil fuels. Sources of primary energy In 2024, oil and coal were the main fuels used for primary energy worldwide. Except for the Nordic countries and Canada, all other countries listed among the leading 10 consumers sourced energy almost exclusively from fossil fuels. Many of them are also responsible for large oil production shares or the refining thereof. Differences in energy consumption There is a notable disparity between the highest and lowest energy users. Resource-rich countries outside the temperate climate zone tend to use more energy to heat or cool homes and are also more likely to use greater amounts of energy as costs are much lower. For example, electricity prices in oil and gas-producing countries such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia are only a fraction of those of resource-poor countries in Europe. Furthermore, energy consumption disparity is a strong indicator of the different income levels around the world and largely tied to economic prosperity.

United States Electricity Consumption data was reported at 10.243 kWh/Day bn in Mar 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 11.765 kWh/Day bn for Feb 2025. United States Electricity Consumption data is updated monthly, averaging 9.940 kWh/Day bn from Jan 1991 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 411 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.179 kWh/Day bn in Jul 2024 and a record low of 7.190 kWh/Day bn in Apr 1991. United States Electricity Consumption data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Energy Information Administration. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.RB004: Electricity Supply and Consumption. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

This bar chart displays renewable energy consumption (% of total final energy consumption) by countries using the aggregation average in Africa. The data is about countries.

CN: Electricity Consumption: per Capita: Residential: Average data was reported at 987.000 kWh in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 869.000 kWh for 2021. CN: Electricity Consumption: per Capita: Residential: Average data is updated yearly, averaging 126.527 kWh from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2022, with 43 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 987.000 kWh in 2022 and a record low of 10.721 kWh in 1980. CN: Electricity Consumption: per Capita: Residential: Average data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Energy Sector – Table CN.RBB: Electricity Consumption per Capita.

Saudi Arabia Electricity: Consumption data was reported at 298,701.592 GWh in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 292,201.759 GWh for 2021. Saudi Arabia Electricity: Consumption data is updated yearly, averaging 219,661.644 GWh from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2022, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 298,701.592 GWh in 2022 and a record low of 114,161.021 GWh in 2000. Saudi Arabia Electricity: Consumption data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Energy. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Saudi Arabia – Table SA.RB008: Electricity Statistics.

Global Energy Consumption in Agriculture by Country, 2023 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

The average for 2022 based on 20 countries was 72.54 billion kilowatthours. The highest value was in Brazil: 582.71 billion kilowatthours and the lowest value was in Haiti: 0.86 billion kilowatthours. The indicator is available from 1980 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

In 2024, China consumed *****percent of global primary energy, positioning itself as the largest primary energy consumer across the world. The United States followed, with more than ****** the consumption share of India and Russia, the third and fourth-largest consumers worldwide. China’s use of energy Most of the primary energy consumed in China comes from coal, while crude oil is the country’s second most-consumed resource. Primary energy consumption in China has increased ****-fold since 2000 and continues to rise each year. Rapid energy plants construction is a major reason for China's rising energy consumption. Sources of primary energy Primary energy comes directly from natural resources, both renewable and non-renewable, and has not yet been subject to transformation through human processes. Fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and gas are the most common types of primary energy sources worldwide. Consumption of renewables such as solar and wind currently remains at a much lower level than that of fossil fuels. For instance, the use of coal alone is ***** times greater than that of renewable sources. However, global renewable energy consumption has been growing steadily over the past decades.

Iran IR: Electric Power Consumption: per Capita data was reported at 2,985.687 kWh in 2014. This records an increase from the previous number of 2,795.957 kWh for 2013. Iran IR: Electric Power Consumption: per Capita data is updated yearly, averaging 1,100.986 kWh from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2014, with 44 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,985.687 kWh in 2014 and a record low of 274.134 kWh in 1971. Iran IR: Electric Power Consumption: per Capita data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iran – Table IR.World Bank: Energy Production and Consumption. Electric power consumption measures the production of power plants and combined heat and power plants less transmission, distribution, and transformation losses and own use by heat and power plants.; ; IEA Statistics © OECD/IEA 2014 (http://www.iea.org/stats/index.asp), subject to https://www.iea.org/t&c/termsandconditions/; Weighted average; Restricted use: Please contact the International Energy Agency for third-party use of these data.

Israel IL: Electric Power Consumption: per Capita data was reported at 6,600.898 kWh in 2014. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6,710.094 kWh for 2013. Israel IL: Electric Power Consumption: per Capita data is updated yearly, averaging 4,593.655 kWh from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2014, with 44 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7,184.502 kWh in 2012 and a record low of 2,288.693 kWh in 1971. Israel IL: Electric Power Consumption: per Capita data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Israel – Table IL.World Bank: Energy Production and Consumption. Electric power consumption measures the production of power plants and combined heat and power plants less transmission, distribution, and transformation losses and own use by heat and power plants.; ; IEA Statistics © OECD/IEA 2014 (http://www.iea.org/stats/index.asp), subject to https://www.iea.org/t&c/termsandconditions/; Weighted average; Restricted use: Please contact the International Energy Agency for third-party use of these data.

This horizontal bar chart displays renewable energy consumption (% of total final energy consumption) by country using the aggregation average in Mexico. The data is about countries per year.

This horizontal bar chart displays renewable energy consumption (% of total final energy consumption) by country using the aggregation average in Eastern Asia. The data is about countries.

The average for 2022 based on 47 countries was 312.85 billion kilowatthours. The highest value was in China: 8349.31 billion kilowatthours and the lowest value was in the Maldives: 0.82 billion kilowatthours. The indicator is available from 1980 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.