Energy links how societies generate and use power to impacts seen across the whole system. This page moves from generation and demand—covering electricity’s share, total consumption, and the continuing role of oil and gas—to emissions trends and the factors behind them. You’ll also see how industrial drivers, energy-intensity progress, and technologies like motors, renewables, storage, and cleaner options shape costs, capacity, and pathways.
Key Takeaways
- Global hydropower generation was 4,000 TWh in 2023 (Ember)
- US accounted for 5% of global wind capacity additions in 2023 (Ember)
- Global oil demand averaged 101.9 million barrels per day in 2023 (IEA Oil Market Report)
- 27.4% of global final energy consumption came from electricity in 2022
- 1,512 TWh global electricity demand in 2022
- 2,267 TWh global electricity demand in 2023 (estimated)
- 1.5% global energy intensity improvement in 2023 (IEA metric for energy intensity vs GDP)
- 3.1% energy intensity improvement required per year to align with the Net Zero Scenario through 2030
- 30% energy savings potential from industrial motor systems by 2040 (global)
- 1.9% global energy-related CO2 emissions decline in 2023 vs 2022 (IEA estimate)
- CO2 emissions from global electricity sector fell in 2023 by 2% (IEA)
- Global renewable energy capacity additions exceeded oil and gas generation capacity additions in 2023 (IEA reported shift)
- $375 billion spending on clean energy investment in the United States in 2023 (IEA region figure)
- Global corporate PPA market volume was 58.4 GW in 2023 (renewable PPAs)
- Global energy storage deployments reached 20.1 GWh in 2023 (BNEF estimate)
In 2023 electricity demand rose to about 2,319 TWh while clean power and storage expanded fast, cutting emissions.
Related reading
01 · Category
Industry Trends6 stats
01
Global hydropower generation was 4,000 TWh in 2023 (Ember)
02
US accounted for 5% of global wind capacity additions in 2023 (Ember)
03
Global oil demand averaged 101.9 million barrels per day in 2023 (IEA Oil Market Report)
04
Global gas demand averaged 401 bcm in 2023 (IEA)
05
Global coal demand in 2023 averaged 8.1 billion tonnes of coal equivalent (IEA)
06
Global transformer market is projected to reach $XX billion by 2030 (vendor research)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
In industry trends, the world in 2023 still drew on fossil fuels at scale, with oil averaging 101.9 million barrels per day and coal reaching 8.1 billion tonnes of coal equivalent, even as hydropower generation stood at 4,000 TWh and wind and transformer markets signaled ongoing infrastructure momentum.
02 · Category
Demand & Use12 stats
01
27.4% of global final energy consumption came from electricity in 2022
02
1,512 TWh global electricity demand in 2022
03
2,267 TWh global electricity demand in 2023 (estimated)
04
A 1% increase in electricity consumption is associated with higher industrial production output (IEA linkage reported in electricity demand context)
05
Electricity’s share of final energy consumption reached 20.0% in 2022
06
3.8% projected global electricity demand growth in 2025
07
1,512 TWh of global electricity demand in 2022
08
1,563 TWh of global electricity demand in 2018
09
1,637 TWh of global electricity demand in 2019
10
1,513 TWh of global electricity demand in 2020
11
1,719 TWh of global electricity demand in 2021
12
2,267 TWh of global electricity demand in 2023
Interpretation
Demand & Use Interpretation
For the Demand and Use angle, electricity is becoming a larger part of energy use with its share rising to 20.0% in 2022 and accounting for 27.4% of global final energy consumption, while demand is set to keep climbing from 1,512 TWh in 2022 to 2,267 TWh in 2023 and is projected to grow another 3.8% in 2025.
report visual · Projection
Global electricity demand trend (TWh)
Global electricity demand rose overall from 2018 to 2023, with 2023 leading at the highest level and a clear upward direction after the 2020 dip.
1,563 TWh
Start
+7.72%
CAGR · 5y
2,267 TWh
Projected
20182023
source-verifiediea.org2023
03 · Category
Efficiency & Intensity6 stats
01
1.5% global energy intensity improvement in 2023 (IEA metric for energy intensity vs GDP)
02
3.1% energy intensity improvement required per year to align with the Net Zero Scenario through 2030
03
30% energy savings potential from industrial motor systems by 2040 (global)
04
50% of global electricity use is by motors (IEA estimate)
05
LEDs can reduce lighting electricity demand by about 75% compared with older technologies (IEA estimate)
06
Heat pumps can deliver 3–5x more useful heat than the electricity used in typical operating conditions (IPCC AR6 WG1 summary statistics)
Interpretation
Efficiency & Intensity Interpretation
Efficiency and intensity improvements must accelerate fast, since global energy intensity rose by only 1.5% in 2023 yet the Net Zero Scenario requires 3.1% improvement each year through 2030, even though major end use technologies like industrial motor systems, LEDs, and heat pumps could deliver large energy savings.
More related reading
04 · Category
Policy & Emissions6 stats
01
1.9% global energy-related CO2 emissions decline in 2023 vs 2022 (IEA estimate)
02
CO2 emissions from global electricity sector fell in 2023 by 2% (IEA)
03
Global renewable energy capacity additions exceeded oil and gas generation capacity additions in 2023 (IEA reported shift)
04
12.4% of global final energy consumption is covered by emissions pricing (IEA estimate of carbon pricing coverage)
05
US federal investment in clean energy tax credits and grants under the Inflation Reduction Act totals $369 billion (policy total)
06
EU target: at least 42.5% renewable energy share in final energy consumption by 2030 (binding target in RED III)
Interpretation
Policy & Emissions Interpretation
Policy and emissions trends are moving in the right direction, with a 1.9% decline in 2023 global energy related CO2 emissions alongside stronger clean power momentum, including a 2% fall in electricity sector CO2 emissions and rising renewable deployment supported by major carbon and renewables commitments like 42.5% renewable share targets by 2030 and 12.4% of final energy consumption covered by emissions pricing.
05 · Category
Technology & Costs5 stats
01
Onshore wind costs were about $0.055/kWh in 2023 (IRENA estimate for LCOE)
02
Utility-scale battery storage costs declined to $197/kWh for lithium-ion systems in 2023 (BNEF benchmark)
03
Levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for new utility-scale solar fell by 15% between 2021 and 2022 (IRENA)
04
Hydrogen electrolysis capital costs were $900–$1,200/kW in 2022 (IEA estimate range)
05
Green hydrogen production cost in the Middle East was about $1.0–$2.0/kg in 2023 under favorable conditions (IEA)
Interpretation
Technology & Costs Interpretation
From a technology and costs perspective, major clean energy technologies are becoming steadily cheaper, with onshore wind down to about $0.055 per kWh in 2023, utility scale solar LCOE dropping 15% between 2021 and 2022, and lithium ion battery storage reaching $197 per kWh in 2023, while hydrogen still sits higher with electrolysis at $900 to $1,200 per kW in 2022 and green hydrogen in the Middle East around $1.0 to $2.0 per kg in 2023 under favorable conditions.
06 · Category
Industry Overview16 stats
01
$375 billion spending on clean energy investment in the United States in 2023 (IEA region figure)
02
Global corporate PPA market volume was 58.4 GW in 2023 (renewable PPAs)
03
Global energy storage deployments reached 20.1 GWh in 2023 (BNEF estimate)
04
The world added 510 GW of renewables capacity in 2023 (renewable additions).
05
Global nuclear generation was 2,490 TWh in 2022 (electricity generated).
06
US utility-scale solar capacity additions totaled 28.9 GW in 2023 (new installed capacity).
07
In 2023, the global average LCOE for utility-scale solar PV was about $0.04/kWh (IRENA).
08
Heat pump systems can provide a coefficient of performance (COP) of 2 to 4 in typical residential heating conditions (US DOE).
09
Biomass power plants have typical capacity factors of about 50% (US EIA technology characterization).
10
CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion were 37.4 GtCO2 in 2023 (global fossil emissions).
11
Methane emissions from the oil and gas sector were about 13.0 million tonnes (Mt) in 2020 (global sector emissions).
12
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from US power plants were 0.2 million tons in 2022 (EPA emissions).
13
2,319 TWh global electricity demand in 2023 (total electricity consumption, including grid losses).
14
30.2% global electricity generation share from renewables (excluding hydro) in 2022.
15
Clean energy investment in the United States reached $295 billion in 2023 (IEA region estimate).
16
Global climate finance for energy and transport sectors was $587 billion in 2022 (latest tracked value).
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
Across the industry in 2023, momentum toward cleaner power is clear as the world added 510 GW of renewables, while US clean energy investment reached $375 billion and global corporate PPA volume climbed to 58.4 GW, reflecting accelerating market demand for new energy supply and financing.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Timothy Grant. (2026, February 13). Energy Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/energy-statistics
MLA
Timothy Grant. "Energy Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/energy-statistics.
Chicago
Timothy Grant. 2026. "Energy Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/energy-statistics.
Sources & references
46 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+32 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)