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Total energy consumption

Global energy consumption fell in 2020 (-4%), due to lockdown measures and transport restrictions

Total energy consumption

Global energy consumption fell in 2020 (-4%), due to lockdown measures and transport restrictions

Breakdown by country (Mtoe)
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World

Trend over 1990 - 2020 - Mtoe

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Breakdown by energy (2020) - Mtoe

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24%


Share of China in the global energy consumption in 2020

Global energy consumption fell in 2020 (-4%), due to lockdown measures and transport restrictions

Global energy consumption growth declined by 4% in 2020, in a context of global pandemic, contrasting with an average 2%/year over the 2000-2018 period and a 0.8% slowdown in 2019. Energy consumption fell in most countries, except in China, the largest energy consumer (24% of the global energy consumption in 2020) which rapidly recovered from the COVID-19 crisis. China’s energy consumption rose by 2.2%, a much slower pace than in previous years (+4%/year over the 2008-2018 period and +3.4% in 2019). Lockdown measures and reduced economic activity had a severe impact on energy consumption in 2020. It decreased significantly (-7.6%) in the United States, by around 7% in the EU (strong drops in the largest markets such as Spain, France, Italy, and Germany), Japan, and Canada, and by 4.8% in Russia. The decline was slighter (around -3%) in India, South Korea, or Saudi Arabia, and even lower (around -2%) in Australia and Brazil. Energy consumption also contracted in Africa and in the Middle East (especially in Saudi Arabia).

Global Energy Trends - 2021 Edition

Consolidated 2020 energy and emissions statistics with 2021 estimates, including COVID-19 impact and structural changes.

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Global Energy & CO2 Data

Need more data? All the information presented in this energy data tool are extracted from Global Energy & CO2 Data service, the most comprehensive and up-to-date database on supply, demand, prices, indicators, and emissions, per energy sources.

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13

Apr

Electricity generation in Cambodia increased by 7.9% in 2021 to 9.7 TWh, according to the government. In addition, the share of households connected to the grid reached 86%. Almost 98% of the 14,000 Cambodian villages were electrified.

05

Apr

According to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), the global wind capacity increased by 93.6 GW in 2021 (+12%), to 837 GW.

04

Apr

According to preliminary statistics, India's coal production increased by 8.6% in the 2021-2022 year (April 2021-March 2022) and reached 777.2 Mt, spurred by the economic recovery and a surge in the power demand (power supply increased by over 8% during the year, its highest growth rate in ten years). Coal production from captive coal mines (for self use, usually in the power sector) surged by nearly 30% to 89.6 Mt. Total coal supply rose by more than 18% to 818 Mt and domestic supply exceeded production by 5.2%, consumers using coal reserves to meet the higher demand. Non-coking coal imports declined by 23% to 126 Mt.

04

Apr

In 2021, total UK territorial greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions increased by 4.7% to 424.5 MtCO2eq, according to preliminary figures from the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and CO2 emissions increased by 6.3% in 2021 to 341.5 MtCO2eq. Despite this annual rise, total GHG emissions are 5.2% lower than in 2019 and 47.3% lower than in 1990; CO2 emissions are also 43.6% lower than in 1990. This increase in 2021 is mainly cause by the rise in the use of road transport as nationwide lock-downs were eased, as CO2 emissions from transport grew by 10% in 2021, accounting for almost half of the overall increase from 2020. CO2 emissions also increased in the power sector (+9.2%), due to rising demand for electricity and the first increase in the use of fossil fuels for electricity generation from power plants since 2012 (they remained 67% lower than in 1990). Emissions increased by 5.8% in the residential sector, owing to the colder weather in 2021.