Fossil fuels remain the greatest source of electricity generation worldwide. In 2024, coal accounted for roughly **** percent of the global power mix, while natural gas followed with a ***** percent share. China, India, and the United States accounted for the largest share of coal used for electricity generation. The future of renewable energy Fossil fuel use notwithstanding, the share of renewables in global electricity has seen a more pronounced year-on-year growth in recent years, following increased efforts by governments to combat global warming and a decrease in levelized costs. Projections indicate that renewables will surpass fossil fuels as the main power source by 2040. Electricity consumption in the world China is the largest electricity consumer in the world, requiring almost ***** terawatt-hours of electricity every year. However, this economic power accounts for the largest population in the world and its electricity consumption per capita is almost tenfold smaller than the consumption of Iceland, although the power used in this country came almost completely from clean sources.

Coal has been the main source of electricity generation worldwide for the last three decades. In 2023, global coal power generation stood at almost 10,500 terawatt-hours. Overall, coal, natural gas, and other fossil fuels accounted for approximately 60 percent of the global electricity production that year. Renewable energy sources of electricity generation The production of renewable energy has been increasing steadily over the past decades, with solar and wind energy showing the largest year-over-year growth between 2022 and 2023. However, the contribution of renewables to the world’s electric power mix remains small when compared to fossil fuel sources. Electricity demand vs production The volume of electricity generated worldwide surpassed the global consumption of electricity by a small margin. This figure is directly affected by the fact that the number of people without access to electricity in the world has shrunk over the past decade and is continuously decreasing.

Global electricity generation has increased significantly over the past three decades, rising from less than 12,000 terawatt-hours in 1990 to over 30,000 terawatt-hours in 2024. During this period, electricity generation worldwide only registered an annual decline twice: in 2009, following the global financial crisis, and in 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic. Sources of electricity generation The share of global electricity generated from clean energy sources –including renewables and nuclear power- amounted to almost 40 percent in 2024, up from approximately 32 percent at the beginning of the decade. Despite this growth, fossil fuels are still the main source of electricity generation worldwide. In 2024, almost 60 percent of the electricity was produced by coal and natural gas-fired plants. Regional differences Water, wind, and sun contribute to making Latin America and the Caribbean the region with the largest share of renewable electricity generated in the world. By comparison, several European countries rely on nuclear energy. However, the main electricity sources in the United States and China, the leading economic powers of the world, are respectively natural gas and coal.

Global energy supply reached around *** exajoules in 2024. This represented an increase of roughly *** percent in comparison to 2023. In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on transportation fuel demand and the overall economic performance resulted in primary energy consumption declining to 2016 levels. Nevertheless, worldwide energy consumption is projected to increase over the next few decades. Most common types of fuel Oil is the main primary energy fuel in the world, followed by other fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas. Each of these three sources had consumption levels of more than *** exajoules in 2023, while other fuel types were consumed considerably less. However, in recent years, renewables have become more frequently used as worldwide investment in clean energy has more than double since 2014. Energy industry performance Energy use rose consistently every year over the last two decades except for 2009 and 2020, following the global financial crisis and the aforementioned coronavirus pandemic. As fossil fuels remain the largest source of energy consumption, the prices of these commodities serve as an indicator of overall energy industry performance.

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.

In recent years, scrutiny over the environmental impact of more traditional energy sources has translated into a rapid growth of renewables. The share of energy from renewable sources used in electricity generation worldwide has been rising annually, reaching roughly **** percent in 2024. Increasing capacity and production As renewable shares continue to grow, so does the installed capacity. Since 2010 the cumulative renewable energy capacity has risen from *** terawatts to *** terawatts in 2024. Renewable electricity production has also increased significantly, rising to *** petawatt hours in 2022. Despite this impressive and steady growth, the consumption of renewable energy still pales in comparison when compared to fossil fuel energy consumption. Consumption on the rise In the past two decades, global consumption of renewables has risen from just ** exajoules in 2000, to over ** exajoules in 2023. Globally, both China and the United States are the leading consumers of renewable energy, with a combined consumption of ** exajoules.

In 2023, electricity generation from renewables worldwide had a combined power capacity of over 3.8 terawatts. However, this was still significantly lower than the capacity of all fossil-based energy sources, which stood at 4.67 terawatts. Coal is still the greatest source for electricity generation worldwide, followed by natural gas. Renewable energy is growing Despite the continued dominance of fossil fuels, the installed capacity of renewables worldwide has more than doubled in the past decade. The cost of renewables' deployment has fallen over time, making them increasingly more cost-effective and common around the world. Combined with the growing pressure to transition towards low-emission sources, renewable technologies are gradually replacing conventional fossil fuels. When will renewables surpass fossil fuels? Renewable energy capacity is forecast to grow by over 350 gigawatts per year in the next decades, while coal use will be reduced. As a consequence, global renewable electricity generation is projected to surpass that of fossil fuels by 2040.

Fossil fuels remain the greatest source of electricity generation worldwide. In 2023, coal accounted for roughly 35.5 percent of the global power mix, while natural gas followed with a 23 percent share. China, India, and the United States accounted for the largest share of coal used for electricity generation. The future of renewable energy Fossil fuel use notwithstanding, the share of renewables in global electricity has seen a more pronounced year-on-year growth in recent years, following increased efforts by governments to combat global warming and a decrease in levelized costs. Projections indicate that renewables will surpass fossil fuels as the main power source by 2040. Electricity consumption in the world China is the largest electricity consumer in the world, requiring more than 8,000 terawatt-hours of electricity every year. However, this economic power accounts for the largest population in the world and its electricity consumption per capita is almost tenfold smaller than the consumption of Iceland, although the power used in this country came almost completely from clean sources.

The Asia Pacific region consumes the most primary energy in the world, at around 279.24 exajoules in 2024. Consumption of primary energy is generally increasing worldwide, and has risen in Asia-Pacific by nearly 90 exajoules since 2010. Primary energy consumption is the use of crude energy prior to refining or conversion. Countries with the highest energy consumption North America follows Asia Pacific as the world’s second-largest consumer of primary energy, having consumed 112 exajoules in 2024. High consumption levels in Asia Pacific and North America come in large part from China and the United States. Rapid industrial growth and a growing middle class have resulted in energy consumption in China to more than quadruple since 2000. Growth and common energy sources While primary energy use has steadily increased across the globe, renewable energy consumption has more than tripled since 2000. Nevertheless, renewables remain among the least-used primary energy source, just above nuclear power. Fossil fuels, such as oil and coal, are consumed at a higher volume than any other type of primary energy source in the world.

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.

Hard coal is the most produced non-renewable energy source. In 2023, hard coal accounted for a ***** percent share of worldwide non-renewable energy production. This was closely followed by crude oil, which made up a ***** percent share. Before 2023, crude oil was the most produced non-renewable energy source.

Oil is the most consumed primary energy fuel in the world. In 2024, some ****** exajoules worth of oil were consumed. That year, the consumption of fossil fuels registered an increase compared to the previous year. Rising demand for fossil fuels Demand for fossil fuels has remained high, as overall primary energy demand continues to increase. Excluding the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the use of oil has consistently grown each year. Consumption of other non-renewable fuel types has been more varied. Global natural gas consumption has risen more or less consistently. Its properties as a less carbon-intensive fossil fuel than coal have led to an increase in its use in the power sector, overtaking coal use in major economies such as the United States. Fossil fuels by region The U.S. is the leading natural gas consuming country in the world, as well as the largest producer of this fossil fuel and of crude oil. Russia, China, and the Middle Eastern region follow, as they have either the richest reserves of these raw materials or account for the largest refining capacity.

Primary energy consumption is forecast to reach roughly 364 million barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2045. Oil and gas are expected to maintain their dominant role in the global energy sector, with a contribution of approximately 110 and 90 million barrels of oil equivalent per day, respectively. Which country consumes the most energy? Since the beginning of the 21st century, there has been a general upward trend in the usage of primary energy. In 2023, approximately 620 exajoules of primary energy were consumed globally. China was the leading primary energy consumer in the world, consuming around 170.7 exajoules, while the United States came in second position. Fossil fuels' ongoing dependence Global primary energy consumption is dominated by fossil fuels, despite a steady shift toward sustainable alternatives. Although the share of fossil fuels in the energy mix has been decreasing, renewable energy is still not sufficient to meet the current and future energy demand.

China consumes by far the most electricity of any country in the world, with almost 9,000 terawatt-hours equivalent consumed in 2024. The United States ranked as the second-leading electricity consumer that year, with over 4,000 terawatt-hours consumed. India followed, but by a wide margin. Production and consumption disparities China not only leads countries in electricity generation worldwide, it also dominates production, generating over 10 petawatt-hours annually. The United States follows with 4.6 petawatt-hours, significantly more than its consumption of 4,065 terawatt-hours. This disparity underscores the complex relationship between production and consumption, influenced by factors such as energy efficiency, export capabilities, and domestic demand. The global expansion of electricity networks, particularly in Central and Southern Asia, is driving increased production to meet growing access and demand. Shifting energy landscapes The United States, as the second-largest consumer, is experiencing a significant shift in its energy mix. Coal-based electricity has declined by nearly 65 percent since 2010, giving way to natural gas and renewable sources. This transition is evident in recent capacity additions, with renewable energy sources accounting for over 90 percent of new electricity capacity in 2024. The surge in renewable generation, particularly wind power, is reshaping the U.S. energy landscape and influencing consumption patterns. As renewable energy consumption is projected to more than double by 2050, the electricity market is adapting to these changing dynamics.

In 2023, production of renewable energy was higher in Asia than any other region at over four petawatt hours in total that year. Europe and North America followed as top generators of renewable energy, though in each region, production was less than half that of Asia. Renewable energy in China High production of renewable energy in Asia comes in part from the region’s high energy demand, with China alone accounting for over a ******* of total global primary energy consumption. While the country is home to the largest installed capacity of renewable energy in the world, including sources such as hydro, solar, and wind power, the current production of renewables is not enough to meet China’s exceptionally high energy demands. Electricity from renewables Since 2008, renewable energy has become an increasingly common source of electricity. In Europe especially, the wind-power sector has seen significant developments over the past decade, with electricity consumption from offshore wind in the European Union predicted to be over *** times higher in 2020 than in 2010. As of 2018, roughly a ******* of total electricity generated worldwide comes from renewable resources.

Wind and solar energy sources accounted for ***** percent of electricity generation worldwide in 2024, up from a *****percent share a year earlier. This was more than double the share compared to 2015 values, the year the Paris Agreement was adopted.

China sources most of its electricity from coal. In 2023, fossil fuels made up ** percent of the total electricity in the country. Despite continuing to expand its coal power plant fleet, China has recently redirected its investment efforts towards clean energy initiatives with the aim of reducing pollution and emission levels. From fossil to the future As the largest global polluter, China has designated the development of renewable energy sources as a major objective of its economic policies. Already, the country produced the most renewable energy worldwide. However, as the second-largest economy, it was also the biggest energy consumer, attributed to its population numbers and a large manufacturing sector. According to the China Electricity Council, a national trade organization, the combined capacity of wind and solar power was going to exceed the projected coal power supply in 2024. Long-distance relationship One of the greatest obstacles to the green energy transition in the PRC is the distance between the green energy sources and its consumers. In general, the country has favorable conditions for the installation of wind and solar power, as the northwestern regions are not only abundant in wind and sun but also host China's hydroelectric dams. Nonetheless, most individuals and institutions lack awareness. However, most people and industry are in the country’s coastal provinces, many thousands of kilometers away. As a result, the country has built the world’s leading ultra-high-voltage electricity transmission system, which allows the transmission of energy over large distances. The longest transmission circuit in China exceeds 2,000 kilometers.

As of 2024, China was the largest producer of electricity globally by a significant margin with over ***petawatt-hours generated, followed by the United States with *** petawatt-hours. Both countries generated a considerable amount more than the next highest producer, India, where almost *** petawatt-hours were produced. Coal and natural gas remain the primary sources of energy worldwide, maintaining a high global reliance on fossil-based fuels. For instance, natural gas was the largest source of electricity generation in the U.S. in 2023, followed by renewables.

Global expansion of electricity networks Energy networks have been undergoing expansion and modernization to tackle challenges such as the climate crisis and a growing global population through electrification. As a result of this, there has been significant growth in electricity access, with almost *** million more people gaining access to energy networks worldwide in 2022, of which ** million were in Central and Southern Asia. With increased electricity access, a growth in electricity production will become necessary.

Transitioning towards renewables Use of both coal and renewable electricity has grown worldwide, particularly in the European Union and China, where the largest year-on-year change in coal and renewable generation was recorded in 2023. As part of its increase in power generation, China has the largest share of clean electricity capacity installed by country worldwide, amounting to approximately **** terawatts.

The leading countries for installed renewable energy in 2024 were China, the United States, and Brazil. China was the leader in renewable energy installations, with a capacity of around 1,827 gigawatts. The U.S., in second place, had a capacity of around 428 gigawatts. Renewable energy is an important step in addressing climate change and mitigating the consequences of this phenomenon. Renewable energy capacity and productionRenewable power capacity is defined as the maximum generating capacity of installations that use renewable sources to generate electricity. The share of renewable energy in the world’s power production has increased in recent years, surpassing 30 percent in 2023. Renewable energy consumption varies from country to country. The leading countries for renewable energy consumption are China, the United States, and Canada.Renewable energy sourcesThere are various sources of renewable energy used globally, including bioenergy, solar energy, hydropower, and wind energy, to name a few. Globally, China and Brazil are the top two countries in terms of generating the most energy through hydropower. Regarding solar power, China, the United States, and Japan boast the highest installed capacities worldwide.

In 1965, approximately 42 percent of the world's energy demand was met by energy sourced from oil; however, this figure had fallen to almost 30 percent by 2023. While the annual volume of oil produced and consumed has risen by a significant amount since the 1960s, its share of energy production has dropped in virtually all areas - a large part of this is due to rising consumption of natural gas, which is viewed as a cleaner and more efficient fossil fuel, as well as nuclear energy, and the more recent transition to renewable energy sources.