Global electricity consumption 1980-2021

The world's electricity consumption has continuously grown over the past half a century, reaching approximately 25,300 terawatt-hours in 2021. Between 1980 and 2021, electricity consumption more than tripled, while the global population increased by roughly 75 percent. Growth in industrialization and electricity access across the globe have further boosted electricity demand.

China's economic rise and growth in global power use

Since 2000, China's GDP has recorded an astonishing 16-fold increase, turning it into the second-largest global economy, behind only the United States. In order to fuel the development of its billion-strong population and various manufacturing industries, China requires more energy than any other country. As a result, it has become the largest electricity consumer in the world.

Electricity consumption per capita

In terms of per capita electricity consumption, China and other BRIC countries are still vastly outpaced by developed economies with smaller population sizes. Iceland, with a population of less than half a million inhabitants, consumes by far the most electricity per person in the world. Norway, Qatar, Canada, and the U.S. also rank among the highest consumption rates. Multiple contributing factors such as the existence of power-intensive industries, household sizes, living situations, appliance and efficiency standards, and access to alternative heating fuels determine the amount of electricity the average person requires in each country.