Renewable energy consumption was only 7.5% worldwide in 2022: oil and coal dominate global energy scenario
The recent Statistical Review of World Energy, prepared by the Energy Institute, discusses global energy trends in 2022. The document highlights slow growth in renewable energy consumption, as well as record prices in the coal and gas markets.
These developments reflect both efforts to reduce reliance on coal and oil and persistent challenges in the transition to other, cleaner energy sources.
According to the report, renewables, excluding hydropower, accounted for approximately 7.5% of global energy consumption in 2022, an increase of just 1% compared to the previous year.
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In 2022, renewable energies did not stand out. The share of fossil fuels in global energy consumption remained at 82%
Despite global efforts to reduce coal use, demand continued to be driven mainly by China and India, and reached the highest level since 2014, when it was 161.49 exajoules. In 2022, coal’s share of power generation was 35.4%.
Meanwhile, global coal production increased 7% compared to the previous year. China, India and Indonesia were the main drivers of this growth.
These countries are known for their high dependence on coal for power generation, a situation that poses enormous additional challenges in the energy transition.
The report also highlights the coal market situation in 2022, when prices reached record levels. Europe saw a 145% increase in coal prices, while Japan experienced a 45% increase.
This is partly due to growing demand from China and India, which drove global coal consumption to its highest level since 2014. However, it is important to note that coal consumption declined in North America and Europe, showing a divergence in regional trends.
For oil, consumption in 2022 was 0.7% lower compared to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels. In 2022 oil consumption was 10.80 million barrels per day (bpd) while in 2019 it was 11, 36 million bpd.
However, in 2022 there was a renewed appetite for jet fuel and diesel-related products, which contributed to demand growth.
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Oil production also experienced a significant increase of 3.8 million barrels per day
Most of the oil production came from member countries of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the United States. This indicates a recovery in oil production after the challenges caused by the pandemic.
As for gas, global demand experienced a 3% decline in 2022, despite still representing 24% of primary energy consumption.
This drop occurred amid record prices in Europe and Asia. However, Europe witnessed a significant increase in demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG), with a 57% increase in imports.
In contrast, countries in the Asia-Pacific region and South and Central America reduced their purchases.
The report reveals a combination of progress and challenges in the global energy sector. Although there is growth in the adoption of renewable energy, there is still a strong dependence on fossil fuels.
The increase in oil and coal production shows no signs of replacing fossil fuels globally.
Finally, the report revealed that the energy transition is still in an incipient state worldwide. The high dependence of industrialized countries on these fossil energy sources further postpones the adoption of renewable energies to ensure the functioning of all human activities around the globe.
Read the full report here.
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