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.

The average for 2022 based on 146 countries was 2347.08 kilograms of oil equivalent. The highest value was in Qatar: 16683.66 kilograms of oil equivalent and the lowest value was in Yemen: 68.95 kilograms of oil equivalent. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

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.

Per capita energy consumption averaged ****** kilowatt-hours worldwide in 2024. This was up from a pandemic-induced slump in 2020. Qatar has the highest per capita energy consumption of any country worldwide.

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.

India Primary Energy Consumption per Capita data was reported at 7,129.110 kWh/Person in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 6,809.693 kWh/Person for 2021. India Primary Energy Consumption per Capita data is updated yearly, averaging 2,870.515 kWh/Person from Dec 1965 (Median) to 2022, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7,129.110 kWh/Person in 2022 and a record low of 1,238.620 kWh/Person in 1965. India Primary Energy Consumption per Capita data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Our World in Data. The data is categorized under Global Database’s India – Table IN.OWID.ESG: Environmental: CO2 and Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Annual.

United States Primary Energy Consumption per Capita data was reported at 77,027.836 kWh/Person in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 78,347.914 kWh/Person for 2022. United States Primary Energy Consumption per Capita data is updated yearly, averaging 89,404.797 kWh/Person from Dec 1965 (Median) to 2023, with 59 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 98,110.680 kWh/Person in 1973 and a record low of 73,294.336 kWh/Person in 2020. United States Primary Energy Consumption per Capita data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Our World in Data. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.OWID.ESG: Environmental: CO2 and Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Annual.

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.

The Nordic countries of Iceland, Norway, Finland, and Sweden recorded the largest electricity demand per capita in Europe over the last few years. In 2023, Iceland’s per capita electricity demand averaged at almost 52 megawatt-hours per person, more than twice the consumption of runner-up Norway. Meanwhile, France, the largest electricity producer among the European Union countries, had an average per capita consumption of seven megawatt-hours in 2024. Why is electricity consumption so high in Iceland? The intense electricity consumption in Iceland stems from a combination of factors. On the one hand, due to its abundant natural resources, hydro and geothermal are the main sources of electricity generation in Iceland, allowing the country to produce power at high reliability and very low costs. Meanwhile, on the demand side, Iceland is home to some particularly energy-intensive industries – in 2023, it ranked among the largest aluminum smelter producers worldwide. To top it off, electricity demand is also high on the household sector side, due to the Nordic country’s long, dark, and cold winters. A similar combination of factors can also be found in Norway. How cheap is electricity in Iceland? In 2024, household electricity prices in Iceland averaged between 18 and 22.2 euro cents per kilowatt-hour, depending on the level of demand. In comparison to the average household electricity price in the European Union in the same period, it was around 40 percent cheaper. Iceland had one of the lowest residential electricity prices in Europe. On the other side of the spectrum, Germany, Denmark, and Belgium reported the highest prices in the region.

The average for 2022 based on 42 countries was 3189.07 kilograms of oil equivalent. The highest value was in Iceland: 15856.43 kilograms of oil equivalent and the lowest value was in Albania: 780.74 kilograms of oil equivalent. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

China Energy Consumption per Capita: Non Productive Use: Electricity data was reported at 987.000 kWh in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 869.000 kWh for 2021. China Energy Consumption per Capita: Non Productive Use: Electricity 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. China Energy Consumption per Capita: Non Productive Use: Electricity data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s China – Table CN.RCB: Electricity Summary.

Alaska's staggering energy consumption of over one billion British thermal units per capita in 2023 highlights the vast disparities in energy use across the United States. This figure, more than triple the national average of 277.8 million British thermal units, underscores the unique energy demand of America's largest state. Louisiana and North Dakota followed closely behind, with consumption rates of 908 and 892 million British thermal units per capita, respectively. Factors influencing regional U.S. energy consumption The extreme per person energy consumption in Alaska can be attributed to its cold climate and energy-intensive industries. By comparison, New York, California, and Florida were among the states with the lowest per person energy consumption in the country because of the high energy efficiency, mild temperatures, and economies based on services and low energy-intensive industries. The overall energy consumption in the U.S. states was highest in the most populated areas –Texas, California, and Florida- and lower in sparsely populated ones, such as Alaska and Wyoming. Future energy trends in the U.S. While individual states show significant variations, the U.S. country consumed approximately 94.2 quadrillion British thermal units of primary energy in 2024, a slight increase from the previous year. Oil remained the dominant energy source, followed by natural gas and renewable energies. The country's energy market has been evolving, with increased investments in renewable energy, reflecting a growing shift towards more sustainable energy sources.

There are large inequalities in energy consumption between countries. The average US citizen still consumes more than ten times the energy of the average Indian, 4-5 times that of a Brazilian, and three times more than China. The gulf between these and very low-income nations is even greater- a number of low-income nations consume less than 100 kilowatt-hour equivalents per person.

Secondly, global average per capita energy consumption has been consistently increasing; between 1970 and 2014, average consumption increased by approximately 45%.

This growth in per capita energy consumption does, however, vary significantly between countries and regions. Most of the growth in per capita energy consumption over the last few decades has been driven by increased consumption in transitioning middle-income (and to a lesser extent, low income countries). In the chart we see a significant increase in consumption in transitioning BRICS economies (China, India and Brazil in particular); China’s per capita use has grown by nearly 250 percent since 2000; India by more than 50 percent; and Brazil by 38 percent.

Whilst global energy growth is growing from developing economies, the trend for many high-income nations is a notable decline. As we see in exemplar trends from the UK and US, the growth we are currently seeing in transitioning economies ended for many high-income nations by over the 1970s and 80s. Both the US and UK peaked in terms of per capita energy consumption in the 1970s, plateauing for several decades until the early 2000s. Since then, we see a reduction in consumption; since 2000, UK usage has decreased by 20 to 25%.

Source

Hannah Ritchie (2019) - "Access to Energy". Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from: 'https://ourworldindata.org/energy-access'

The average for 2022 based on 27 countries was 2970.74 kilograms of oil equivalent. The highest value was in Finland: 5681.87 kilograms of oil equivalent and the lowest value was in Malta: 1456.25 kilograms of oil equivalent. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Denmark Primary Energy Consumption per Capita data was reported at 33,537.797 kWh/Person in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 32,358.580 kWh/Person for 2021. Denmark Primary Energy Consumption per Capita data is updated yearly, averaging 42,529.240 kWh/Person from Dec 1965 (Median) to 2022, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 55,153.883 kWh/Person in 1996 and a record low of 30,294.584 kWh/Person in 2020. Denmark Primary Energy Consumption per Capita data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Our World in Data. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Denmark – Table DK.OWID.ESG: Environmental: CO2 and Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Annual.

This database contains kWh of power consumed per capita for countries worldwide. Columns: - Country Name - Country Code (alpha-3 iso) - Indicator Name (Electric power consumption (kWh per capita)) - Indicator Code

Source: World Bank Open Data

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.

Energy Consumption and Mix Dataset by Our World in Data

Dataset Description

This dataset is a comprehensive collection of key metrics related to energy consumption and energy mix, maintained by Our World in Data. It includes global, regional, and country-level data on primary energy consumption, energy mix, electricity mix, fossil fuel production, and related energy metrics.

Key Metrics

The dataset contains several important metrics related to global energy:

• Energy Consumption (primary energy, per capita consumption, growth rates)
• Energy Mix (share of renewables, fossil fuels, etc.)
• Electricity Mix (sources of electricity generation such as coal, hydro, wind, solar)
• Fossil Fuel Production
• Primary Energy Consumption
• Per Capita and Per GDP Energy Indicators
• Yearly data by country and global aggregates

Possible Analyses

The "Energy Consumption and Mix" dataset offers a wide range of opportunities for analysis. Here are some examples of what can be done with this dataset:

1. Global Energy Consumption Trends

• Objective: Examine how global primary energy consumption has evolved over time.
• Approach:
  • Plot global energy consumption year by year, broken down by energy source (e.g., coal, oil, natural gas, renewables).
  • Analyze growth rates in total energy consumption.
  • Investigate how the share of renewables has changed in the global energy mix.
• Potential Insights: This analysis can provide insight into which energy sources are becoming more dominant globally and how the energy landscape has shifted.

2. Energy Mix by Country

• Objective: Compare the energy mix of different countries.
• Approach:
  • For each country, visualize the breakdown of energy sources (e.g., renewables, fossil fuels) over time.
  • Analyze which countries have transitioned towards cleaner energy sources.
  • Compare the energy mix of developed vs. developing countries.
• Potential Insights: This could show which countries are leading in the transition to renewable energy and which are still reliant on fossil fuels.

3. Electricity Generation Sources by Region

• Objective: Explore regional differences in electricity generation.
• Approach:
  • Compare regions based on the percentage of electricity generated from different sources (e.g., coal, hydro, wind, solar).
  • Analyze trends in renewable electricity generation by region.
• Potential Insights: This analysis can identify regions that have made the most progress in transitioning to cleaner electricity sources.

4. Energy Consumption Per Capita

• Objective: Investigate energy consumption on a per capita basis.
• Approach:
  • Calculate the per capita energy consumption for different countries and regions.
  • Compare energy consumption per capita over time.
  • Identify which countries have the highest and lowest per capita energy consumption.
• Potential Insights: This can help uncover disparities in energy access and usage between different countries or regions.

5. Energy Consumption and Economic Growth

• Objective: Analyze the relationship between energy consumption and GDP.
• Approach:
  • Plot energy consumption per capita vs. GDP per capita for different countries and regions.
  • Look for correlations between energy consumption growth and economic growth.
  • Explore how energy consumption patterns differ between high-income and low-income countries.
• Potential Insights: This analysis can highlight the role of energy in driving economic development and the efficiency of energy usage across income levels.

6. Carbon Emissions from Energy Sources

• Objective: Assess the impact of different energy sources on carbon emissions.
• Approach:
  • Calculate emissions based on the share of fossil fuels in the energy mix.
  • Analyze trends in carbon emissions as countries transition to cleaner energy sources.
  • Compare countries or regions with high fossil fuel dependency to those with higher renewable energy shares.
• Potential Insights: This analysis could highlight the environmental impact of different energy sources and track progress towards emissions reductions.

Citation

Hannah Ritchie, Pablo Rosado and Max Roser (2023) - “Energy” Published online at OurWorldinData.org. Retrieved from: https://ourworldindata.org/energy [Online Resource]

In 2020, the Netherlands had the highest energy consumption per capita in Europe. Residents in the Netherlands had a primary energy consumption of ***** gigajoules per capita. By comparison, Germany's primary energy consumption per capita stood at ***** gigajoules.

The average for 2022 based on 7 countries was 4041.13 kilograms of oil equivalent. The highest value was in Canada: 7632.3 kilograms of oil equivalent and the lowest value was in the United Kingdom: 2263.38 kilograms of oil equivalent. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.