Global primary energy consumption 2000-2020

World primary energy consumption fell to 556.63 exajoules in 2020. The coronavirus pandemic and its impact on transportation fuel demand and overall economic performance resulted in primary energy consumption declining to 2016 levels. Nevertheless, worldwide energy consumption is projected to increase over the next few decades.

Effect of economic crisis

Energy use rose consistently every year over the last two decades except for 2009 and 2020, following the global financial crisis and the aforementioned coronavirus pandemic. Fossil fuels remain the largest source for energy consumption and as such benchmarks such as the OPEC crude oil price serve as an indicator of overall energy industry performance. Despite a notable decline in 2020, oil prices are already on track to surpass the annual average for 2019, having traded above 60 U.S. dollars per barrel for most of 2021.

Most common types of fuel

Oil is the main primary energy fuel in the world, followed by other fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas. Each of these three sources had consumption levels of more than 100 exajoules in 2020, while other fuel types were consumed considerably less. However, in recent years, renewables have become more frequently used as worldwide investment in clean energy has increased six-fold since 2004.