PrintThe figure below shows the per capita energy consumption for each country. The energy sources are also split out, so you can see where each country gets their energy. The US consumes the most energy per person. Interact with the graph and answer the following questions.
- What country is #2 energy consumer per capita?
- What is the average energy consumption per capita for the average citizen of the world?
- What source of energy is the highest for a citizen of China?
The figure below shows the Global Primary energy consumption by souce. This shows how the world wide energy sources have changed over time. As you explore the data, answer the following questions.
- What was the primary world-wide energy source prior to 1860s?
- What is the primary world-wide energy source today?
- In what year do you see Nuclear become an energy source?
- What renewable energy source is the largest percentage of world-wide energy?
Fossil Fuel Consumption
| Source | Future Outlook | Advantages / Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Oil | Over the past four decades, oil has been the world's foremost source of primary energy consumption, and it is expected to remain in that position throughout the projected time frame. Liquids (primarily oil and other petroleum products) are expected to continue to provide the largest share of world's energy consumption over the projected period. | In the transportation sector, in particular, liquid fuels continue to provide most of the energy consumed. The increase of electric vehicles is expected to reduce the demand of gasoline products, but jet fuel is expected to increase through 2050. |
| Natural Gas | Natural gas is the fastest-growing fossil fuel globally; consumption grows from 153 quads in 2022 to a range of 170 quads to 241 quads by 2050 across cases, an 11% to 57% increase. Growth in natural gas consumption is widely distributed regionally, but it is most notable in India, the Other Asia-Pacific region, China, Africa, Russia, the Middle East, and the Other Americas region. The projected rise in natural gas consumption is most pronounced in the electric power sector, where it replaces retiring coal-fired generation, and the industrial sector, where it primarily fuels expanding industrial production. | It is seen as the desired option for electric power, given its relative efficiency and environmental advantages in comparison with other fossil energy sources.
Natural gas burns more cleanly than either coal or oil, making it a more attractive choice for countries seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. |
| Coal | Starting from 166 quads in 2020, global coal consumption grows in some cases while it decreases in others. From 2022 to 2050, the largest growth (19%) is in the High Economic Growth case, and the largest decrease (13%) in coal consumption is in the Low Economic Growth case. Coal consumption varies by region, increasing in Africa, India, and the Other Asia-Pacific region and decreasing in China and the United States. | Coal remains a vital fuel for world’s electricity markets and is expected to continue to dominate energy markets in developing Asia. |
Energy Consumption and Electricity Projections
According to the International Energy Outlook (2023), global electricity genration will increase through 2025, however most of generation will be produced from renewable (zero carbon) technologies. The combined share of fossil fuels (coal, petroleum and natural gas) is expected to decrease. They also predict that electric vehicles are expected to account for 29%-54% of all new vehicles sales by 2050. China and Western Eurpoe are leading the switch to Electric Vehicles.
US Energy Information Administration, International Energy Agency. 2020.
US Energy Information Administration, International Energy Agency. 2020.
As can be seen from the figures, the role of renewables is expected to change dramatically in the coming years.
Nuclear Power
Worldwide, electricity generation from nuclear power is projected to remain largely unchanged into 2040. However, some advancements in small modular reactors (SMRs) may drive an increase in nuclear energy production in the upcoming decade.
In 2025, five countries account for more than 2/3s of the world's total nuclear electricity generation.
| Country | Net Capacity in Gigawatts |
|---|---|
| US | 97 |
| France | 63 |
| China | 55 |
| Russia | 27 |
| South Korea | 26 |
| Rest of world | 108 |
In a nuclear plant, heat is produced by nuclear fission (splitting of an atom's nucleus into many new atoms) inside uranium fuel. As a result of fission, heat energy is released and the steam spins a turbine generator to produce electricity.
Renewables
Sizable growth in the world’s consumption of renewable energy resources is projected over the next 25 years. Much of the projected growth in renewable generation is expected to result from the completion of renewable energy installabtions all throughout the world. In 2020, 90 % of all new electric power generation installations were renewable across the globe.
In hydroelectricity, mechanical energy from the water being pulled downward by gravity is converted to electrical energy. More specifically, a hydroelectric generator directs the flow of water through a turbine, which extracts the kinetic energy from the movement of the water and turns it into electricity through the rotation of electrical generators. Hydropower is the largest single renewable electricity source today, providing 16% of world electricity at competitive prices. It dominates the electricity mix in several countries, developed, emerging, or developing. However, wind and solar are quickly catching up.