World energy supply and consumption

World energy supply and consumption refers to the global primary energy production, energy conversion and trade, and final consumption of energy. Energy can be used in various different forms, as processed fuels or electricity, or for various different purposes, like for transportation or electricity generation. Energy production and consumption are an important part of the economy. A serious problem concerning energy production and consumption is greenhouse gas emissions. Of about 50 billion tonnes worldwide annual total greenhouse gas emissions, 36 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide was emitted due to energy (almost all from fossil fuels) in 2021.

The goal set in the Paris Agreement to limit climate change will be difficult to achieve. Many scenarios have been envisioned to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, usually by the name of net zero by 2050. As of 2022, energy consumption is still about 80% from fossil fuels. The Gulf States and Russia are major energy exporters, with notable customers being the European Union and China, where domestically not enough energy is produced in order to satisfy energy demand. Energy consumption generally increases about 1-2% per year, except for solar and wind energy which averaged 20% per year in the 2010s.

The energy that is produced, like from fossil fuels, is processed in order to make it suitable for consumption by end users. The energy supply chain from initial production and final consumption involves many different activities, causing a loss of useful energy ultimately, see exergy.

Energy consumption per capita in North America is very high, while in less developed countries it is low and usually more renewable. There is a clear connection between energy consumption per capita, and GDP per capita.