Electric energy consumption

thumb|Electricity consumption by region. By 2025, Asia is projected to account for half of the world’s electricity consumption, with one-third of global electricity to be consumed in China.<ref name=IEA_ElectricityMarketReport_2023>{{cite web |title=Electricity Market Report 2023 |url=https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/255e9cba-da84-4681-8c1f-458ca1a3d9ca/ElectricityMarketReport2023.pdf |website=IEA.org |publisher=International Energy Agency |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315075802/https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/255e9cba-da84-4681-8c1f-458ca1a3d9ca/ElectricityMarketReport2023.pdf |archive-date=15 March 2023 |page=15 |date=February 2023 |url-status=live}} Licensed CC BY 4.0.</ref> '''Electric energy consumption''' is energy consumption in the form of electrical energy.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Electricity explained: Use of electricity - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)|url=https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/electricity/use-of-electricity.php|url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-22|website=www.eia.gov|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190916022429/https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/electricity/use-of-electricity.php |archive-date=2019-09-16 }}</ref> Approximately one-fifth of global energy is consumed as electricity: for residential, industrial, commercial, transportation and other purposes.<ref name=":1" /> The global electricity consumption in 2022 was 24,398 terawatt-hours (TWh), almost exactly three times the amount of consumption in 1981 (8,132 TWh).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Electricity consumption – Electricity Information: Overview – Analysis|url=https://www.iea.org/reports/electricity-information-overview/electricity-consumption|access-date=2022-01-22|website=IEA|language=en-GB}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=December 2024}} China, the United States, and India accounted for more than half of the global share of electricity consumption. Japan and Russia followed with nearly twice the consumption of the remaining industrialized countries.<ref name=":0" />

While power is measured in watts (W) or kilowatts (kW), energy consumption is typically measured in watt-hours (Wh) or kilowatt-hours (kWh),<ref name="h740">{{cite web | title=Measuring electricity | website=U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) | date=2025-06-27 | url=https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/electricity/measuring-electricity.php | access-date=2025-06-30}}</ref> following the fundamental relation:

:<math>\text{E = P × t}</math> where E is energy, P is power, and t is time.<ref name="o647">{{cite web |title=Understanding the Electric Energy Equation |url=https://www.fire2fusion.com/electric-energy/electric-energy-equation.html#:~:text=E%20%3D%20P%20%C3%97%20t,time%20in%20hours%20(h). |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=Types of Energy ***}}</ref>

== Overview == Electric energy is most often measured either in joules (J), or in watt hours (W·h).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Energy Units|url=http://www.aps.org/policy/reports/popa-reports/energy/units.cfm|access-date=2022-01-23|website=www.aps.org|language=en|archive-date=2007-03-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070321000954/http://www.aps.org/policy/reports/popa-reports/energy/units.cfm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

: 1 W·s = 1 J : 1 W·h = 3,600 W·s = 3,600 J : 1 kWh = 3,600 kWs = 1,000 Wh = 3.6 million W·s = 3.6 million J

Electric and electronic devices consume electric energy to generate desired output (light, heat, motion, etc.). During operation, some part of the energy is lost depending on the electrical efficiency.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Electricity – Sustainable Recovery – Analysis|url=https://www.iea.org/reports/sustainable-recovery/electricity|access-date=2022-02-10|website=IEA|language=en-GB}}</ref>

Electricity has been generated in power stations since 1882.<ref>{{cite web|title=Electricity Generation|url=http://instituteforenergyresearch.org/electricity-generation|website=Institute for Energy Research|access-date=27 October 2015|language=en|date=2 September 2014}}</ref> The invention of the steam turbine in 1884 to drive the electric generator led to an increase in worldwide electricity consumption.<ref>{{Cite web|date=March 2015|title=Catalog of CHP Technologies: Section 4. Technology Characterization – Steam Turbines|url=https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-07/documents/catalog_of_chp_technologies_section_4._technology_characterization_-_steam_turbines.pdf|access-date=January 23, 2022|website=United States Environmental Protection Agency}}</ref>

In 2022, the total worldwide electricity production was nearly 29,000 TWh.<ref name=":2" /> Total primary energy is converted into numerous forms, including, but not limited to, electricity, heat and motion.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|title=More than 60% of energy used for electricity generation is lost in conversion - Today in Energy - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)|url=https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=44436|access-date=2022-02-10|website=www.eia.gov}}</ref> Some primary energy is lost during the conversion to electricity, as seen in the United States, where a little more than 60% was lost in 2022.<ref name=":7" />

In 2022, electricity accounted for more than 20% of global final energy consumption, while oil made up less than 40%, coal less than 9%, natural gas less than 15%, biofuels and waste less than 10%, and other sources (such as heat, solar, wind, and geothermal energy) more than 5%.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|title=Key World Energy Statistics 2021 – Analysis|url=https://www.iea.org/reports/key-world-energy-statistics-2021|access-date=2022-02-16|website=IEA|date=10 September 2021 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

That year, total final electricity consumption was distributed unevenly across sectors: industry (42.2%), residential (26.8%), commercial and public services (21.1%), transport (1.8%), and other sectors such as agriculture and fishing (8.1%).<ref name=":8" /> In 1981, final electricity consumption continued to decline in the industrial sector, while it increased in the residential, commercial, and public services sectors.<ref name=":8" />

A sensitivity analysis on an adaptive neuro-fuzzy network model for electric demand estimation shows that employment is the most critical factor influencing electrical consumption.<ref name=":9">{{cite journal|last1=Zahedi|first1=Gholamreza|last2=Azizi|first2=Saeed|last3=Bahadori|first3=Alireza|last4=Elkamel|first4=Ali|last5=R. Wan Alwi|first5=Sharifah|title=Electricity demand estimation using an adaptive neuro-fuzzy network: A case study from the Ontario province – Canada|journal=Energy|year=2013|volume=49|pages=323–328 |doi=10.1016/j.energy.2012.10.019}}</ref> The study used six parameters as input data, employment, GDP, dwelling, population, heating degree day and cooling degree day, with electricity demand as output variable.<ref name=":9" />

== World electricity consumption ==

The table lists 45 electricity-consuming countries, which used about 22,000 TWh. These countries comprise about 90% of the final consumption of 190+ countries. The final consumption to generate this electricity is provided for every country. The data is from 2022.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Data tables – Data & Statistics|url=https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/data-tables|access-date=2022-01-25|website=IEA|language=en-GB|archive-date=2022-01-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119020034/https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/data-tables|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=Population, total {{!}} Data|url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL|access-date=2022-01-25|website=data.worldbank.org}}</ref>

In 2022, OECD's final electricity consumption was over 10,000 TWh.<ref name=":0" /> In that year, the industrial sector consumed about 42.2% of the electricity, with the residential sector consuming nearly 26.8%, the commercial and public services sectors consuming about 21.1%, the transport sector consuming nearly 1.8%, and the other sectors (such as agriculture and fishing) consuming nearly 8.1%.<ref name=":8" /> In recent decades, the consumption in the residential and commercial and public services sectors has grown, while the industry consumption has declined.<ref name=":0" /> More recently, the transport sector has witnessed an increase in consumption with the growth in the electric vehicle market.<ref name=":0" /> {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Electricity consumption of selected countries (OECD, 2022)<ref name=":2"/><ref name=":3"/> |- ! data-sort-type="number" | Rank ! Country ! data-sort-type="number" | Final consumption (TWh) ! data-sort-type="number" | Population (millions) ! data-sort-type="number" | Per capita consumption (MWh) |- |— || '''WORLD''' || 24,398 || 7,960 || 3.07 |- | 1 || {{flag|China}} || 7,214 || 1,443 || 5 |- | 2 || {{flag|United States}} || 4,272 || 336 || 12.71 |- | 3 || {{flag|India}} || 1,403 || 1,401 || 1 |- | 4 || {{flag|Japan}} || 1,132 || 126 || 8.98 |- | 5 || {{flag|Russia}} || 934 || 146 || 6.4 |- | 6 || {{flag|Canada}} || 595 || 38.1 || 15.62 |- | 7 || {{flag|South Korea}} || 553 || 51.2 || 10.8 |- | 8 || {{flag|Brazil}} || 550 || 215 || 2.56 |- | 9 || {{flag|Germany}} || 539 || 82.2 || 6.55 |- | 10 || {{flag|France}} || 463 || 67.7 || 6.84 |- | 11 || {{flag|Saudi Arabia}} || 317 || 36 || 8.81 |- | 12 || {{flag|United Kingdom}} || 312 || 68.4 || 4.56 |- | 13 || {{flag|Indonesia}} || 308 || 276 || 1.17 |- | 14 || {{flag|Italy}} || 300 || 60 || 5 |- | 15 || {{flag|Mexico}} || 296 || 127 || 2.33 |- | 16 || {{flag|Iran}}|| 280 || 83.3 || 3.36 |- | 17 || {{flag|Turkey}} || 264 || 84 || 3.14 |- | 18 || {{flag|Taiwan}} || 257 || 23.8<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|title=National Statistics, Republic of China (Taiwan)|url=https://eng.stat.gov.tw/point.asp?index=9|access-date=2022-01-25|website=eng.stat.gov.tw|archive-date=2020-01-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131125043/https://eng.stat.gov.tw/point.asp?index=9|url-status=dead}}</ref>|| 10.8 |- | 19 || {{flag|Spain}} || 246 || 46.8 || 5.26 |- | 20 || {{flag|South Africa}} || 233 || 60 || 3.88 |- | 21 || {{flag|Australia}} || 225 || 26 || 8.65 |- | 22 || {{flag|Vietnam}} || 220 || 100 || 2.2 |- | 23 || {{flag|Thailand}} || 203 || 70 || 2.9 |- | 24 || {{flag|Malaysia}} || 170 || 33.2 || 5.12 |- | 25 || {{flag|Egypt}} || 168 || 105 || 1.6 |- | 26 || {{flag|Poland}} || 156 || 37.5 || 4.17 |- | 27 || {{flag|Ukraine}} || 154 || 43.2 || 3.56 |- | 28 || {{flag|Sweden}} || 147 || 10.2 || 14.4 |- | 29 || {{flag|Argentina}} || 138 || 46 || 3 |- | 30 || {{flag|United Arab Emirates}} || 136 || 10.2 || 13.33 |- | 31 || {{flag|Norway}} || 128 || 5.5 || 23.27 |- | 32 || {{flag|Pakistan}} || 124 || 226 || 0.55 |- | 33 || {{flag|Netherlands}} || 120 || 17.5 || 6.86 |- | 34 || {{flag|Belgium}} || 98 || 11.8 || 8.33 |- | 35 || {{flag|Finland}} || 90 || 5.6 || 16.03 |- | 36 || {{flag|Chile}} || 84 || 19.2 || 4.38 |- | 37 || {{flag|Kazakhstan}} || 75 || 18.7 || 4 |- | 38 || {{flag|Austria}} || 73 || 9.1 || 8.02 |- | 39 || {{flag|Venezuela}} || 72 || 28.1 || 2.56 |- | 40 || {{flag|Algeria}} || 66 || 44 || 1.5 |- | 41 || {{flag|Switzerland}} || 62 || 9.3 || 6.67 |- | 42 || {{flag|Israel}} || 59 || 9.4 || 6.27 |- | 43 || {{flag|New Zealand}} || 43 || 5 || 8.6 |- | 44 || {{flag|Denmark}} || 35 || 5.8 || 6.02 |- | 45 || {{flag|Ireland}} || 28 || 5.5 || 5.1 |} thumb|Share of electricity production from renewables<ref>{{cite web |title=Share of electricity production from renewables |url=https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/share-electricity-renewables |website=Our World in Data |access-date=15 December 2025 |language=en}}</ref> === Consumption per capita === The final consumption divided by the number of inhabitants provides a country's consumption per capita. In Western Europe, this is between 4 and 8 MWh/year.<ref name=":2" /> (1 MWh = 1,000 kWh) In Scandinavia, the United States, Canada, Taiwan, South Korea, Australia, Japan and the United Kingdom, the per capita consumption is higher; however, in developing countries, it is much lower.<ref name=":2" /> The world's average was about 3 MWh/year in 2022.<ref name=":2" /> Very low consumption levels, such as those in Philippines, not included in the table, indicate that many inhabitants are not connected to the electricity grid, and that is the reason why some of the world's most populous countries, including Nigeria and Bangladesh, do not appear in the table.<ref name=":3" />

== Electricity generation and GDP == The table lists 30 countries, which represent about 76% of the world population, 84% of the world GDP, and 85% of the world electricity generation.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /> Productivity per electricity generation (concept similar to energy intensity) can be measured by dividing GDP over the electricity generated. The data is from 2019.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web|title=GDP (current US$) {{!}} Data|url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD|access-date=2022-02-02|website=data.worldbank.org}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web|title=Statistical Review of World Energy {{!}} Energy economics {{!}} Home|url=https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/energy-economics/statistical-review-of-world-energy.html|access-date=2022-02-03|website=bp global|language=en}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;" |- bgcolor="#ececec" |+ Electricity generation (2019) and GDP (PPP) (2019) ! style="background-color: #edf3fe" | Country ! style="background-color: #edf3fe" | Population, millions ! style="background-color: #edf3fe" data-sort-type="number" | rank* ! style="background-color: #ffc;" | GDP (PPP), billions (USD) ! style="background-color: #ffc;" data-sort-type="number" | rank* ! style="background-color: #ffc;" | GDP (PPP) per capita ! style="background-color: #ffc;" data-sort-type="number" | rank* ! style="background-color: #dfd;" | Electricity generation (GWh/yr) ! style="background-color: #dfd;" data-sort-type="number" | rank* ! style="background-color: #ffc;" | GDP (PPP) /kWh* |- | align=left | {{flag|China}} | 1,407 || 1 || $14,280 || 2 || $10,149 || 15 || 7,503,428 || 1 || $1.9 |- | align=left | {{flag|India}} | 1,366 || 2 || $2,871 || 6 || $2,102 || 26 || 1,603,675 || 3 || $1.8 |- | align=left | {{flag|USA}} | 328 || 3 || $21,433 || 1 || $65,345 || 1 || 4,411,159 || 2 || $4.9 |- | align=left | {{flag|Indonesia}} | 270.6 || 4 || $1,119 || 16 || $4,135 || 20 || 278,942 || 17 || $4.0 |- | align=left | {{flag|Brazil}} | 211 || 6 || $1,878 || 9 || $8,900 || 18 || 626,328 || 7 || $3.0 |- | align=left | {{flag|Pakistan}} | 216.6 || 5 || $279 || 26 || $1,288 || 28 || 138,626 || 24 || $2.0 |- | align=left | {{flag|Bangladesh}} | 163 || 8 || $302 || 25 || $1,853 || 27 || 89,672 || 27 || $3.4 |- | align=left | {{flag|Nigeria}} | 201 || 7 || $448 || 22 || $2,229 || 25 || 33,552<ref>{{Cite web|date=September 29, 2021|title=Energy Profile: Nigeria|url=https://www.irena.org/IRENADocuments/Statistical_Profiles/Africa/Nigeria_Africa_RE_SP.pdf|access-date=February 2, 2022|website=International Renewable Energy Agency}}</ref>|| 28 || $13.4 |- | align=left | {{flag|Russia}} | 144 || 9 || $1,687 || 11 || $11,715 || 14 || 1,118,143 || 4 || $1.5 |- | align=left | {{flag|Japan}} | 126 || 11 || $5,149 || 3 || $40,865 || 7 || 1,030,286 || 5 || $5.0 |- | align=left | {{flag|Mexico}} | 127.6 || 10 || $1,269 || 15 || $9,945 || 16 || 322,584 || 13 || $3.9 |- | align=left | {{flag|Philippines}} | 108 || 13 || $377 || 23 || $3,491 || 21 || 106,041 || 26 || $3.6 |- | align=left | {{flag|Vietnam}} | 96.5 || 15 || $262 || 27 || $2,715 || 24 || 227,461 || 21 || $1.2 |- | align=left | {{flag|Ethiopia}} | 112 || 12 || $96 || 29 || $857 || 29 || 14,553<ref>{{Cite web|date=September 29, 2021|title=Energy Profile: Ethiopia|url=https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/energy-economics/statistical-review-of-world-energy.html|access-date=February 2, 2022|website=International Renewable Energy Agency}}</ref>|| 29 || $6.6 |- | align=left | {{flag|Egypt}} | 100.4 || 14 || $303 || 24 || $3,018 || 23 || 200,563 || 22 || $1.5 |- | align=left | {{flag|Germany}} | 83 || 18 || $3,888 || 4 || $46,843 || 4 || 609,406 || 8 || $6.4 |- | align=left | {{flag|Turkey}} | 83.5 || 17 || $761 || 19 || $9,114 || 17 || 303,898 || 15 || $2.5 |- | align=left | {{flag|DR Congo}} | 86.8 || 16 || $50 || 30 || $576 || 30 || 9,990<ref>{{Cite web|date=September 29, 2021|title=Energy Profile: Democratic Republic of the Congo|url=https://www.irena.org/IRENADocuments/Statistical_Profiles/Africa/Democratic%20Republic%20of%20the%20Congo_Africa_RE_SP.pdf|access-date=February 2, 2022|website=International Renewable Energy Agency}}</ref>|| 30 || $5.0 |- | align=left | {{flag|Iran}} | 83 || 19 || $258 || 28 || $3,108 || 22 || 318,696 || 14 || $0.8 |- | align=left | {{flag|Thailand}} | 69.6 || 20 || $544 || 21 || $7,816 || 19 || 186,503 || 23 || $2.9 |- | align=left | {{flag|France}} | 67.3 || 21 || $2,729 || 7 || $40,550 || 8 || 562,842 || 10 || $4.8 |- | align=left | {{flag|UK}} | 66.8 || 22 || $2,879 || 5 || $43,099 || 6 || 324,761 || 12 || $8.9 |- | align=left | {{flag|Italy}} | 59.7 || 23 || $2,009 || 8 || $33,652 || 9 || 293,853 || 16 || $6.8 |- | align=left | {{flag|South Korea}} | 51.7 || 24 || $1,651 || 12 || $31,934 || 10 || 585,301 || 9 || $2.8 |- | align=left | {{flag|Spain}} | 47.1 || 25 || $1,393 || 13 || $29,575 || 11 || 267,501 || 19 || $5.2 |- | align=left | {{flag|Canada}} | 37.6 || 26 || $1,742 || 10 || $46,330 || 5 || 648,676 || 6 || $2.7 |- | align=left | {{flag|Saudi Arabia}} | 34.3 || 27 || $793 || 18 || $23,120 || 13 || 343,661 || 11 || $2.3 |- | align=left | {{flag|Taiwan}} | 23.6<ref name=":4" />|| 28 || $605<ref>{{Cite web|title=National Statistics, Republic of China (Taiwan)|url=https://eng.stat.gov.tw/point.asp?index=1|access-date=2022-02-02|website=eng.stat.gov.tw}}</ref>|| 20 || $25,636 || 12 || 274,059 || 18 || $2.2 |- | align=left | {{flag|Australia}} | 25.4 || 29 || $1,392 || 14 || $54,803 || 2 || 265,901 || 20 || $5.2 |- | align=left | {{flag|Netherlands}} | 17.3 || 30 || $910 || 17 || $52,601 || 3 || 121,062 || 25 || $7.5 |- ! World !! 7,683 !! — !! $87,555 !! — !! $11,395 !! — !! 27,044,191 !! — !! $3.5 |- ! colspan="10" style="font-size: smaller; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; padding: 6px 4px; background-color: #edf3fe;" | * '''Population data''' is from the World Bank<ref name=":3" /> * '''GDP data''' is from the World Bank<ref name=":5" /> * '''Electricity data''' is from BP Global<ref name=":6" /> * '''rank'''* of Population, GDP, and Electricity generation are rankings within this list * '''GDP (PPP) / kWh''' is the amount of GDP (PPP) (USD) produced per kilowatt-hour |}

== Electricity consumption by sector == The table below lists the 15 countries with the highest final electricity consumption, which comprised more than 70% of the global consumption in 2022.<ref name=":2" /> {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;" |+ Electricity final consumption by sector (2022) |- ! Country/ Geographical region ! Total (TWh) ! Industry ! Transport ! Commercial /Public services ! Residential !Agriculture /Forestry ! Other |- | align="left" | {{flag|China}} | 7,214 || 59.9% || 2.4% || 7.3% || 16.4% |2.2%|| 11.8% |- | align="left" | {{flag|United States}} | 4,272 || 19.9% || 0.6% || 35.2% || 37.4% |2.1%|| 4.8% |- | align="left" | {{flag|India}} | 1,403 || 37.7% || 11.2% || 7.8% || 21.7% |15.9%|| 5.7% |- | align="left" | {{flag|Japan}} | 1,132 || 37% || 1.8% || 33.7% || 27.1% | 0.3%|| 0.1% |- | align="left" | {{flag|Russia}} | 934 || 44.8% || 11.1% || 20.4% || 21.1% | 2.5%|| 0.1% |- | align="left" | {{flag|Canada}} | 595 || 35.9% || 1.5% || 28.1% || 32.5% | 2.0%|| 0% |- | align="left" | {{flag|South Korea}} | 553 || 52.3% || 0.6% || 31.4% || 12.7% | 2.5%|| 0.5% |- | align="left" | {{flag|Brazil}} | 550 || 38.3% || 0.7% || 27.3% || 27.7% | 6%|| 0% |- | align="left" | {{flag|Germany}} | 539 || 44.8% || 2.3% || 26.4% || 25.4% | 1.1%|| 0% |- | align="left" | {{flag|France}} | 463 || 26.9% || 2.4% || 31.5% || 37% | 1.9%|| 0.3% |- | align="left" | {{flag|Saudi Arabia}} | 317 || 33.7% || 3.9% || 28.3% || 25% | 4.1%|| 5% |- | align="left" | {{flag|United Kingdom}} | 312 || 18.3% || 2.2% || 38.2% || 39.1% | 2%|| 0.2% |- | align="left" | {{flag|Italy}} | 300 || 30% || 5% || 32% || 30% | 1%|| 2% |- | align="left" | {{flag|Mexico}} | 296 || 29% || 4% || 33% || 30% | 3%|| 1% |- | align="left" | {{flag|Iran}} | 280 || 24% || 6% || 37% || 25% | 5%|| 3% |- style='background-color:#eaecf0' | World | 24,398 | 42.2% || 1.8% || 21.1% || 26.8% | 3.1% || 5% |} <gallery mode="packed" heights="250px"> File:New Zealand Observed Electricity Consumption Sector.svg|Electricity consumption by sector in New Zealand{{update inline|reason=a chart by sector with newer data would be better|date=December 2025}} File:Consumption sector treemap.png|Treemap showing U.S. energy consumption by sector and source in 2021 </gallery>

== Electricity outlook == {{Update section|date=February 2022}} Looking forward, increasing energy efficiency will result in less electricity needed for a given demand in power, but demand will increase strongly on the account of:<ref name=":10">{{Cite web|title=World Energy Outlook 2021 – Analysis|url=https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2021|access-date=2022-02-23|website=IEA|date=13 October 2021 |language=en-GB}}</ref> * Economic growth in developing countries,<ref name=":10" /> and * Electrification of transport and heating. Combustion engines are replaced by electric drive and for heating less gas and oil, but more electricity is used, if possible with heat pumps.<ref name=":10" />

The International Energy Agency expects revisions of subsidies for fossil fuels which amounted to $550 billion in 2013, more than four times renewable energy subsidies. In this scenario,<ref>[http://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/world-energy-outlook-2014---executive-summary.html IEA World energy outlook]</ref> almost half of the increase in 2040 of electricity consumption is covered by more than 80% growth of renewable energy. Many new nuclear plants will be constructed, mainly to replace old ones. The nuclear part of electricity generation will increase from 11 to 12%. The renewable part goes up much more, from 21 to 33%. The IEA warns that in order to restrict global warming to 2 °C, carbon dioxide emissions<ref>by fossil fuel</ref> must not exceed 1000 gigaton (Gt) from 2014. This limit is reached in 2040 and emissions will not drop to zero ever.

The World Energy Council<ref>[http://www.worldenergy.org/publications/2013/world-energy-scenarios-composing-energy-futures-to-2050/ World energy scenarios]</ref> sees world electricity consumption increasing to more than 40,000 TWh/a in 2040. The fossil part of generation depends on energy policy. It can stay around 70% in the so-called "Jazz" scenario where countries rather independently "improvise" but it can also decrease to around 40% in the "Symphony" scenario if countries work "orchestrated" for more climate friendly policy. Carbon dioxide emissions, 32 Gt/a in 2012, will increase to 46 Gt/a in Jazz but decrease to 26 Gt/a in Symphony. Accordingly, until 2040 the renewable part of generation will stay at about 20% in Jazz but increase to about 45% in Symphony.

An EU survey conducted on climate and energy consumption in 2022 found that 63% of people in the European Union want energy costs to be dependent on use, with the greatest consumers paying more. This is compared to 83% in China, 63% in the UK and 57% in the US.<ref name=":82">{{Cite web |title=2022-2023 EIB Climate Survey, part 1 of 2: Majority of Europeans say the war in Ukraine and high energy prices should accelerate the green transition |url=https://www.eib.org/en/surveys/climate-survey/5th-climate-survey/eu-usa-china.htm |access-date=2022-11-17 |website=EIB.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Energy poverty |url=https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/markets-and-consumers/energy-consumer-rights/energy-poverty-eu_en |access-date=2022-11-17 |website=energy.ec.europa.eu |language=en}}</ref> 24% of Americans surveyed believing that people and businesses should do more to cut their own usage (compared to 20% in the UK, 19% in the EU, and 17% in China).<ref name=":822">{{Cite web |title=2022-2023 EIB Climate Survey, part 1 of 2: Majority of Europeans say the war in Ukraine and high energy prices should accelerate the green transition |url=https://www.eib.org/en/surveys/climate-survey/5th-climate-survey/eu-usa-china.htm |access-date=2022-11-17 |website=EIB.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Energy efficiency directive |url=https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/energy-efficiency/energy-efficiency-targets-directive-and-rules/energy-efficiency-directive_en |access-date=2022-11-17 |website=energy.ec.europa.eu |language=en}}</ref>

Nearly half of those polled in the European Union (47%) and the United Kingdom (45%) want their government to focus on the development of renewable energies. This is compared to 37% in both the United States and China when asked to list their priorities on energy.<ref name=":822" /><ref>{{Cite web |title="Fit for 55": Council agrees on higher targets for renewables and energy efficiency |url=https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/06/27/fit-for-55-council-agrees-on-higher-targets-for-renewables-and-energy-efficiency/ |access-date=2022-11-17 |website=www.consilium.europa.eu |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Share of energy consumption from renewable sources in Europe |url=https://www.eea.europa.eu/ims/share-of-energy-consumption-from |access-date=2022-11-17 |website=www.eea.europa.eu |language=en}}</ref>

The United States is on track to break electricity consumption records in 2025 and 2026, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Short-Term Energy Outlook, released in February 2025. With demand from data centers powering artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency operations, alongside rising electricity use in homes and businesses for heating and transportation, the EIA projects total power consumption will hit 4,179 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2025 and 4,239 billion kWh in 2026—both surpassing the current record of 4,082 billion kWh set in 2024. The forecasted increase can be broken down as follows: residential electricity sales will climb to 1,524 billion kWh in 2025, commercial demand to 1,458 billion kWh, and industrial usage to 1,054 billion kWh. This would mark new highs for the commercial sector, which set its current record of 1,421 billion kWh in 2024, and for residential consumers, whose last peak was 1,509 billion kWh in 2022. Meanwhile, the industrial sector—historically the largest consumer of electricity—remains just below its all-time high of 1,064 billion kWh set in 2000. As AI, cryptocurrency mining, and electrification continue to drive demand, the U.S. power grid faces mounting pressure to keep pace with this record surge in electricity consumption.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Disavino |first1=Scott |title=US power use to reach record highs in 2025 and 2026, EIA says |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-power-use-reach-record-highs-2025-2026-eia-says-2025-02-11/ |work=Reuters |date=11 February 2025}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist|30em}}

== External links == *[http://yearbook.enerdata.net/world-electricity-production-map-graph-and-data.html World Electricity production 2012] *[http://lebanese-economy-forum.com/wdi-gdf-advanced-data-display/?curve=EG-USE-ELEC-KH World Map and Chart of Energy Consumption by country] by Lebanese-economy-forum, World Bank data *[https://www.iea.org/reports/electricity-information-2019 Electricity Information 2019 - IEA]

Category:Electric power Consumption Category:Energy consumption Category:Energy development Category:Energy policy