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Total Consumption
Global energy consumption has increased steadily for much of the twentieth century, particularly since 1950. In 2008, the world consumed 11294.9 million tonnes (Mtoe) of oil in total energy (including hydroelectric and nuclear power). That amount corresponds to over 82 billion barrels of crude oil burned in 2007. 1 2009 saw the first energy consumption decline since 1982, presumably due to the global recession. Total energy consumption was lower in 2009 than in 2008, but current 2010 data show consumption rates rising again.2
U.S. Energy Usage by Sector
Source: http://www.pewclimate.org/technology/overview/buildings
One of the most notable developments in recent years has been the explosion of growth in energy demand from Asia, which eclipsed North America for the first time in 2003 as the world’s most energy hungry region. Much of this increase in demand came from China and India. As China is rapidly industrializing, its need for energy is constantly growing.
In 2010, China surpassed the United States to become the world’s top energy consumer. According to the IEA, China consumed 2.252 billion tons of oil in 2010, compared to the U.S’s 2.17 billion tons. The oil equivalent metric represents all forms of energy consumed.3 The next several largest consumers are Japan, India, Russia, Brazil, Germany, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, and France-comes in distantly behind in the rankings.4 Although China is still behind the United States in terms of energy consumption, its total consumption is increasing at breakneck speed.
With respect to oil, for example, China’s share of global consumption is only approximately 9.6 percent (est. 2008, source BP). The World Energy Outlook 2010 concluded, however, that from now until 2035, China and India will account for a combined 54 percent world’s increase in annual energy demand;5 U.S. demand is projected to slowly decrease over the same period while remaining the world’s number two consumer ahead of India. The slow decline will result from continued high oil prices and recent legislation enacted on energy efficiency.6 Even where the percentages may differ, the absolute numbers describing Chinese demand growth for many types of energy easily rival those of the United States.7
According to a China Daily article, China’s demand for fuel is expected to increase by 100 percent by the year 2020. This equates to a rate of 7.5 percent per year, which is seven times faster than the U.S. demand increase.8 Consumption in 2009 rose at only four percent as compared to 9.3 in 2006 percent and 7.8 percent in 2007 because of China had been badly affected by the economic downturn.9 In November 2009, fuel demand in China rose for the first time since the economic downturn and continues to increase; reaching a record in June 2010 for crude-oil imports; as demand rose and costs fell.10
Per Capita Consumption
Total consumption is only one measurement of energy usage. Others, such as per capita energy consumption and energy intensity, offer more nuanced information about differences among countries. Per capita energy consumption has remained relatively stable since 1980 both worldwide and in the United States.11 This indicates that, although the world’s total consumption has increased, most individuals in most countries use about the same amount of energy they did 20 years ago. From this, we learn that much of the increase in total demand can therefore be attributed to population growth and social transformation—e.g. the integration of millions of people into modern, urbanized communities in China and India.
With that said, per capita figures reveal important variations in the consumption habits of different societies. If we compare, we find that the average American uses more than twice as much energy as the average European and up to six times as much as the average Chinese citizen did in 2006.12
Energy Intensity
Energy intensity is a measurement of the amount of energy required to produce a unit of gross domestic product (GDP). This measure is typically calculated on a national basis. It shows that the economic efficiency of energy usage has improved or remained comparable throughout the world over the last two decades. In 1980, 15,000 British thermal units Btu) of energy were needed for every dollar of GDP produced in the United States, compared with just under 9,000 Btu in 2006, a 40 percent improvement.13 Most countries, including China, have experienced similar gains in efficiency due to advances in technology and more sophisticated business management practices.
There are several countries, like Iraq, Iran, and Haiti that are anomalies to this overall improvement. One speculation as to why there is a divergence is that political instability in the areas has disallowed for efficient energy use. This seems plausible, but other regions with political instability, like Sudan or Pakistan have improved their efficiency, negating this reasoning as a definitive answer.14
U.S. Industrial Energy Use
Source: http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/uses/manufacture.html
Energy efficiency gains are also correlated to structural change in the economies of many developed countries that have transformed from producers of goods to providers of services. Increased global trade has helped make this possible.15 Some experts estimate that anywhere from 25-50 percent of improvements to energy intensity in the United States may be a result of the shift from a manufacturing to a services-based economy.16 By the energy intensity measure, energy usage has become more efficient even as total consumption has continued to grow.
1 British Petroleum 40; Conversion Calculator.
4 Energy Information Administration “Total Primary Energy Consumption”
5 International Energy Agency “World Energy Outlook 2010” 4.
6 Energy Information Administration “Annual Energy Outlook 2009” section: Energy Demand.
8 China Daily “China’s Oil Consumption to Hit 563M Tons”
11 EIA “World Per Capita Primary Energy Consumption.”
13 EIA “World Energy Intensity.”
14 EIA “Annual Energy Outlook 2009” 61.a