Who is producing, who is consuming?
A Booming Global Energy Sector 09/08/2010
© Idé
Analysis of worldwide energy production and consumption reveals sharp divisions between developed, emerging, and developing countries. Producing energy from fossil fuels is highly dependent on natural resources. Whether oil, gas or coal, not every region in the world has the same assets. For example, just ten countries produce over 60% of the world's oil and gas. This phenomenon intensifies with the issue of reserves (resources that are known but not yet mined) available for the future.
On the other hand, consumption habits are shifting. Emerging countries - which are also energy producers - have caught up with Northern countries, which traditionally have used large amounts of energy. China is the biggest consumer among the emerging countries. On the whole, annual energy consumption worldwide rose from 4,675 Mtoe (million tons of oil equivalent) in 1973 to 8,286 Mtoe in 20071.
Western Europe and America are trying to create a balanced energy mix using renewable resources to ensure sustainable, environmentally-responsible growth.
[1] IEA (http://www.iea.org/textbase/nppdf/free/2009/key_stats_2009.pdf)
Oil, a global market for local resources
Oil consumption is increasing among emerging countries. However, on the production side, the gap between the main market stakeholders is narrowing.
Gas, a growing energy source
Gas remains a significant energy source. Both its production and consumption are rising, except in a handful of European countries.
Coal, the leading energy source
Coal, the leading source of electricity production worldwide, is falling in Europe but expanding rapidly elsewhere.
Nuclear energy – an energy source for industrialized countries
Only about thirty countries worldwide currently use nuclear energy. Production is stagnating while many questions regarding the pros and cons of this sector remain unanswered.
Renewable energy remains unequally distributed
Alongside fossil fuels, renewable energy offers diversified potential for energy development. At the moment, it is most popular in developed countries.
Biofuels fill up
Ethanol and biodiesel have found a niche on the fuel market in recent years. Both the production and consumption of biofuels remain concentrated in the United States, Brazil and Europe.
