Charted: China’s Rise to Energy Superpower

Charted: China’s Rise to Energy Superpower

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Global energy demand has undergone a historic geographic shift over the last four decades.

In 1980, advanced economies consumed nearly two-thirds of the world’s energy. Today, emerging and developing economies account for almost two-thirds.

The chart above shows how China became the biggest driver of that transition, using data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

China’s Energy Share Has Quadrupled

China consumed 19 quadrillion BTUs of energy in 1980, accounting for just 7% of global demand.

By 2024, consumption had climbed to 171 quadrillion BTUs, raising China’s share to 28% and making it the world’s largest energy consumer.

Energy Consumption (Quadrillion BTU)
Year	World	Advanced Economies	United States	EMDEs	China
1980	281	176	76	105	19
1981	277	171	74	106	19
1982	277	167	71	110	19
1983	280	166	70	114	21
1984	294	173	74	121	22
1985	302	176	74	126	24
1986	308	178	74	130	24
1987	319	184	77	135	26
1988	331	190	81	141	27
1989	337	193	83	143	28
1990	338	194	82	144	27
1991	338	193	82	145	28
1992	337	196	84	141	29
1993	339	199	85	141	31
1994	343	202	87	140	34
1995	352	207	89	144	36
1996	361	214	91	147	38
1997	362	215	92	147	36
1998	365	216	93	149	37
1999	371	219	94	152	38
2000	384	223	97	160	41
2001	387	223	94	164	43
2002	395	225	96	171	46
2003	410	227	96	182	53
2004	431	232	98	199	64
2005	445	233	98	212	72
2006	459	233	97	226	80
2007	472	235	99	237	86
2008	478	231	97	247	89
2009	472	220	92	252	97
2010	503	229	95	274	108
2011	517	226	94	291	118
2012	526	222	92	304	125
2013	534	224	94	310	129
2014	538	223	95	316	130
2015	539	222	94	316	129
2016	544	223	94	321	130
2017	549	225	94	325	131
2018	562	228	97	334	136
2019	571	225	97	345	144
2020	547	208	89	339	146
2021	573	216	93	357	153
2022	579	215	95	364	153
2023	592	212	94	380	163
2024	606	212	95	394	171

The increase coincided with China’s transformation into the world’s manufacturing hub, rapid urban development, and rising household incomes, all of which required enormous amounts of energy.

Emerging Markets Now Drive Global Demand

Emerging and developing economies consumed 105 quadrillion BTUs in 1980, or 37% of the world total.

By 2024, that figure had risen to 394 quadrillion BTUs, equal to 65% of global consumption.

Even excluding China, emerging markets consumed 223 quadrillion BTUs in 2024, more than all advanced economies combined.

Much of the growth in global energy demand now comes from countries that are still industrializing and urbanizing, particularly across Asia.

Advanced Economies Have Plateaued

Advanced economies consumed 176 quadrillion BTUs in 1980 and 212 quadrillion BTUs in 2024.

While energy use continued to rise in emerging markets, demand in advanced economies grew slowly, causing their share of global consumption to steadily decline.

The Global Energy Map Has Changed

One way to understand the scale of China’s rise is to compare it with other developed economies. In 2024, China consumed 171 quadrillion BTUs of energy, exceeding the combined total of advanced economies outside the United States (118 quadrillion BTUs).

That comparison highlights how dramatically the balance of global energy demand has shifted since 1980.

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• Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/charted-chinas-rise-to-energy-superpower/