What would your life be without a cell phone, a computer, and light bulbs? If you think that this is not possible in the 21st century, you should think again: almost one in 10 people in the world do not have access to electricity. Access to electricity is lowest in Sub-Saharan Africa’s countries, like South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in developing Asia, such as Myanmar and North Korea. The average annual electricity consumption of a person living in Nigeria is 100 times smaller than that of someone from Kuwait or Qatar, in the Middle East, and almost 50 times less than that of someone living in the European country of Germany.
Currently, China is by far the largest electricity consumer worldwide, followed by the United States. Combined, the two superpowers account for roughly 50 percent of global electricity consumption. When it comes to electricity consumption per capita, however, the U.S. surpasses China by a wide margin, while the European countries of Iceland and Norway lead the ranking, yielding the highest per person consumption worldwide.
Electricity consumption
Electricity demand has increased massively in the past four decades. Rising populations, technological advancement, and widespread usage of consumer electronics has led global electricity consumption to rise from around 7,300 terawatt-hours in 1980 to more than 25,500 terawatt-hours in 2022. With the transition from fossil fuels to clean power and the electrification of developing countries, worldwide electricity consumption is forecast to double by 2050.Currently, China is by far the largest electricity consumer worldwide, followed by the United States. Combined, the two superpowers account for roughly 50 percent of global electricity consumption. When it comes to electricity consumption per capita, however, the U.S. surpasses China by a wide margin, while the European countries of Iceland and Norway lead the ranking, yielding the highest per person consumption worldwide.
