Consumption of All Categories of Energy
In spite of climate change warnings, consumption of fossil fuels continues to surge. Just look at increase since 2000! Yes consumption of alternative sources of energy is growing. But the key to lowering green house gas emissions is consumption of fossil fuels based energy must fall.
June 2018 Update: All energy types continue to increase, especially fossil fuels.
Mar 2020 Update: ditto
Oct. 2020 Update: ditto
June 2018 Update: All energy types continue to increase, especially fossil fuels.
Mar 2020 Update: ditto
Oct. 2020 Update: ditto
Summing all the energy types together into simply 'energy consumption' highlights the world's huge and increasing appetite for energy.
June 2018 Update: 2017 right on model forecast.
Mar2020 Update: 2018 & preliminary 2019 data right on model forecast; forecast extended to 2200. Sobering to realize ho0w much more energy we consume now as compared to 1960.
Oct2020 Update: 2018 and 2019 data updated; 2020 preliminary data added. All right on previous forecast ok.
Dividing estimated annual global energy consumption by corresponding world population suggests a strong relationship between world population growth and energy consumption growth. Model suggests energy consumption per person likely to continue slow increase.
June 2018 update: slow rise in energy consumption continues.
Mar 2020 Update: 2018 results within forecast. Uncertainty profile hints at flat line possibility in future decades. Forecast extended to 2200.
Oct 2020: Chart updated to include 2020; forecast model adjusted slightly upward.
June 2018 update: slow rise in energy consumption continues.
Mar 2020 Update: 2018 results within forecast. Uncertainty profile hints at flat line possibility in future decades. Forecast extended to 2200.
Oct 2020: Chart updated to include 2020; forecast model adjusted slightly upward.
Where is the good news re fossil fuels?
Consumption of non-fossil fuels is growing faster than for fossil fuels, so % energy from fossil fuels is decreasing, as can be seen in my chart. This might seem to be good news. But the truth is that we combust more not less fossil fuel each year which means climate change is not at all remediated. Still this is the correct path, we just urgently need to downsize fossil fuel consumption.