Despite producing enough electricity to power every home on the planet hundreds of times over, the shocking truth is that our global power system in 2022 remained dangerously dependent on fossil fuels, which generated over 60% of the world's electricity and were responsible for a record 14.6 gigatons of CO2 emissions.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, global electricity generation reached 29,165 terawatt-hours (TWh), with fossil fuels accounting for 60.1% of the total
- Coal-fired power plants generated 10,179 TWh globally in 2022, representing 35% of total electricity production
- Natural gas contributed 5,984 TWh to global electricity generation in 2022, or 20.5% of the total mix
- Global installed electricity generation capacity stood at 8,984 GW at end-2022
- Renewables accounted for 3,372 GW of global capacity in 2022, 37.5% of total
- Solar PV capacity reached 1,050 GW globally by end-2022, up 22%
- Global electricity consumption grew 2.5% to 27,820 TWh in 2022
- Residential sector used 5,450 TWh globally in 2022, 27% of total
- Industry consumed 9,820 TWh in 2022, 44% of electricity demand
- Global renewable capacity additions hit 345 GW in 2022, record high
- Solar PV added 269 GW globally in 2022, 86% of new renewables
- Wind added 77 GW in 2022, China leading with 30 GW
- Global coal-fired capacity under construction was 1,007 GW at end-2022, mostly Asia
- Coal power emissions reached 14.5 GtCO2 in 2022, 40% of energy sector
- Natural gas flaring emitted 139 bcm in 2022, equivalent to 400 MtCO2
Global power generation remains dominated by fossil fuels despite record renewable energy growth.
Electricity Consumption
- Global electricity consumption grew 2.5% to 27,820 TWh in 2022
- Residential sector used 5,450 TWh globally in 2022, 27% of total
- Industry consumed 9,820 TWh in 2022, 44% of electricity demand
- Commercial/services used 3,280 TWh globally in 2022
- Transport sector electricity use reached 180 TWh in 2022, EVs driving growth
- US electricity consumption was 4,000 TWh in 2022, flat vs 2021
- China's consumption hit 8,620 TWh in 2022, up 3.6%
- EU-27 consumption fell 3.5% to 2,550 TWh in 2022 due to crisis
- India's consumption grew 7.5% to 1,504 TWh in FY2022-23
- Brazil's consumption was 540 TWh in 2022, industry 40%
- Japan's consumption dropped to 920 TWh in 2022
- Russia's consumption was 1,050 TWh in 2022
- Germany's consumption fell 4.2% to 480 TWh in 2022
- South Korea used 550 TWh in 2022, up 2%
- Australia's consumption was 265 TWh in 2022
- Canada's consumption totaled 550 TWh in 2022
- France consumed 450 TWh in 2022, down due to nuclear
- Saudi Arabia's consumption reached 370 TWh in 2022
- Mexico used 310 TWh in 2022
- Turkey's consumption grew 5% to 330 TWh in 2022
Electricity Consumption Interpretation
While the world's power hunger grew by a hearty 2.5%, with industry being the biggest glutton at nearly half the pie, the story was one of stark regional diets: China devoured more, Europe tightened its belt during a crisis, and America just picked at its plate, proving that even our global appetite for electrons is on a wildly different meal plan.
Electricity Generation
- In 2022, global electricity generation reached 29,165 terawatt-hours (TWh), with fossil fuels accounting for 60.1% of the total
- Coal-fired power plants generated 10,179 TWh globally in 2022, representing 35% of total electricity production
- Natural gas contributed 5,984 TWh to global electricity generation in 2022, or 20.5% of the total mix
- Nuclear power generated 2,650 TWh worldwide in 2022, accounting for 9.1% of global electricity
- Hydroelectricity produced 4,240 TWh in 2022, making up 14.5% of global electricity generation
- Wind power generated 2,157 TWh globally in 2022, up 9% from the previous year
- Solar photovoltaic generation hit 1,317 TWh in 2022, a 24% increase year-over-year
- Bioenergy contributed 645 TWh to global electricity in 2022, primarily from solid biomass
- In the US, electricity generation totaled 4,243 TWh in 2022, with natural gas at 42.6%
- China's electricity generation reached 8,760 TWh in 2022, led by coal at 61%
- EU-27 generated 2,650 TWh in 2022, with renewables at 44%
- India's thermal power generation was 1,529 TWh in FY2022-23, mostly coal
- Brazil's hydropower dominated with 430 TWh in 2022, 59% of total generation
- Japan's nuclear generation rebounded to 75 TWh in 2022 after Fukushima
- Russia's electricity output was 1,100 TWh in 2022, gas and nuclear heavy
- Germany's lignite generation fell to 80 TWh in 2022 amid phase-out
- South Korea's coal power generated 280 TWh in 2022, 35% of mix
- Australia's coal-fired generation was 180 TWh in 2022, down 5%
- Canada's hydro output reached 380 TWh in 2022, 60% of supply
- France relied on nuclear for 320 TWh in 2022 despite outages
- Saudi Arabia's gas generation hit 350 TWh in 2022
- Mexico's generation totaled 330 TWh in 2022, gas at 44%
- Turkey's coal power rose to 120 TWh in 2022
- Indonesia's coal generation was 190 TWh in 2022
- South Africa's Eskom generated 220 TWh in 2022, mostly coal
Electricity Generation Interpretation
Despite the refreshing breeze of growth in wind and solar, the global power grid remains stubbornly wedded to its smoky, carbon-spewing spouse, fossil fuels, for over 60% of its energy needs.
Fossil Fuels and Emissions
- Global coal-fired capacity under construction was 1,007 GW at end-2022, mostly Asia
- Coal power emissions reached 14.5 GtCO2 in 2022, 40% of energy sector
- Natural gas flaring emitted 139 bcm in 2022, equivalent to 400 MtCO2
- Global power sector CO2 emissions hit 14.6 Gt in 2022, up 1.8%
- China coal generation emitted 5.5 GtCO2 in 2022
- US power emissions fell 5% to 1.5 GtCO2 in 2022
- EU ETS emissions from power dropped 19% in 2022
- India's coal emissions rose 10% to 1.1 GtCO2 in 2022
- Coal plant retirements globally totaled 39 GW in 2022
- Gas turbine capacity utilization averaged 45% globally in 2022
- South Africa's coal fleet load factor was 55% in 2022 due to breakdowns
- Australia's coal emissions 0.4 GtCO2 from power in 2022
- Indonesia permitted 17 GW new coal in 2022
- Poland's coal generation share 70% in 2022, emissions high
- Global fossil fuel subsidies reached $1.3 trillion in 2022, power sector major
- Methane emissions from gas power plants totaled 50 MtCH4eq in 2022
- Carbon capture capacity in power sector was 45 MtCO2/year operational in 2022
- US coal capacity retired 5 GW in 2022, total 180 GW remaining
- China's coal approvals surged to 106 GW in 2022
Fossil Fuels and Emissions Interpretation
While Asia feverishly builds the coal-fired equivalent of a thousand new suns, the rest of the world's emissions report card is a mixed bag of modest progress, tragic breakdowns, and financial lunacy, proving that solving climate change is less a sprint and more a globally uncoordinated three-legged race.
Power Capacity
- Global installed electricity generation capacity stood at 8,984 GW at end-2022
- Renewables accounted for 3,372 GW of global capacity in 2022, 37.5% of total
- Solar PV capacity reached 1,050 GW globally by end-2022, up 22%
- Wind capacity totaled 899 GW worldwide in 2022, onshore dominant
- Hydropower capacity was 1,296 GW at end-2022
- Nuclear capacity globally was 392 GW in 2022
- Coal-fired capacity peaked at 2,141 GW in 2022 before decline
- Gas-fired capacity reached 1,798 GW globally in 2022
- US total capacity was 1,185 GW in 2022, renewables 25%
- China's capacity hit 2,620 GW in 2022, coal 50%
- EU capacity totaled 1,200 GW in 2022, wind/solar 30%
- India's capacity reached 407 GW in FY2022-23, coal 50%
- Brazil's capacity was 192 GW in 2022, hydro 60%
- Japan's capacity stood at 340 GW in 2022
- Russia's capacity was 260 GW in 2022
- Germany's capacity dropped to 220 GW in 2022 post-lignite
- South Korea's capacity hit 140 GW in 2022
- Australia's NEM capacity was 65 GW in 2022
- Canada's capacity totaled 145 GW in 2022, hydro 80 GW
- France's nuclear capacity was 61 GW in 2022
- Saudi Arabia added 5.8 GW solar capacity in 2022, total 10 GW
- Mexico's capacity was 85 GW in 2022
- Turkey's capacity reached 103 GW in 2022
Power Capacity Interpretation
The global power grid is in a heated race between its fossil-fueled past and its renewable future, with nations placing vastly different bets as the clock ticks down on climate change.
Renewable Energy
- Global renewable capacity additions hit 345 GW in 2022, record high
- Solar PV added 269 GW globally in 2022, 86% of new renewables
- Wind added 77 GW in 2022, China leading with 30 GW
- Hydropower added 15 GW net in 2022
- Bioenergy capacity grew by 5 GW in 2022 globally
- Renewables generated 29.4% of global electricity in 2022, up from 28.1%
- Offshore wind capacity reached 35 GW by end-2022
- Concentrated solar power (CSP) capacity totaled 6.5 GW in 2022
- Geothermal capacity stood at 15 GW globally in 2022
- US added 15 GW renewables in 2022, solar 11 GW
- China installed 76 GW solar and 38 GW wind in 2022
- EU added 56 GW renewables in 2022
- India added 13 GW renewables in FY2022-23
- Brazil added 5 GW wind/solar in 2022
- Vietnam's solar boom added 10 GW in 2022
- UAE commissioned 2 GW solar in 2022
- Global green hydrogen projects reached 347 GW electrolyser capacity announced in 2022
- Floating solar capacity hit 5 GW globally in 2022
- Renewables investment topped $495 billion in 2022
Renewable Energy Interpretation
The numbers are in, and they paint a picture of a world finally sprinting—led by a solar-powered surge—toward a cleaner grid, though the finish line remains frustratingly distant.
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