China Is the World's Primary Energy Consumer

Written By Brianna Panzica

Posted June 9, 2011

The statistics on energy consumption are finally out.

BP released their annual review of world energy consumption, and for the first time China came out on top.

In a year, Chinese energy consumption rose 11.2%, putting it at 20.3% of global energy demand, the highest of any nation.

Compare this to the United States’ 3.7% rise and position at 19% of global demand.

Total global demand rose 5.6%, marking the largest overall rise since 1973.

This does not bode well for CO2 emissions, which rose 5.8%, a number China contributed to significantly.

Several European Union nations involved in the Kyoto Protocol – a 1997 agreement to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions – reduced their CO2 emissions by 6.9%.

Unfortunately, this did little to slow the overall rise in emissions as China continues to grow and industrialize.

In 2010, China accounted for 48% of the world’s coal use, the second most globally used fuel.

Overall, coal demand and consumption rose 7.6%.

Oil, the world’s principal energy source, rose 3.1%.

But hydroelectric power – an important renewable energy source – managed to rise 6.5% as well due to growth in China.

China currently provides for 60% of the world’s hydroelectric power.

The United States is cutting down on the dirtier fossil fuels as it ups its natural gas output.

23% of its current natural gas production comes from shale gas, in accordance with the recent shale boom.

The world is continuing to industrialize, so it shouldn’t come as a great surprise to see energy demand on the rise.

Although this means a rise in the use of fossil fuels, renewable energy sources go along with it.

Perhaps this can help reduce those nasty CO2 emissions.

That’s all for now,

Brianna

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