Air conditioning and transportation are increasing global energy consumption
In 2024, global consumption increased by 4.3%. It therefore rose faster than the average of the past ten years.
(Image: sommart sombutwanitkul/Shutterstock.com)
Global energy consumption increased by 4.3% or 1,100 terawatt hours in the previous year. This was almost double the average increase of the past ten years. The main reasons for this included the electrification of transportation and air conditioning systems. These were used frequently as the need for cooling increased due to rising temperatures. However, the increasing number of data centers for artificial intelligence and industry also contributed to the rise, according to the annual report by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
The increase was largely offset by solutions that produce fewer emissions. Additional renewable energy sources added 700 gigawatts to the global electricity supply, setting a record for the twenty-second consecutive year. This means that 80 percent of the growth in 2024 came from renewable or nuclear sources.
"What is certain is that electricity consumption is growing rapidly and overall energy demand is increasing at a rate sufficient to reverse years of declining energy consumption in advanced economies. The result is that demand for all major fuels and energy technologies has increased in 2024, with renewables accounting for most of the growth, followed by natural gas. The strong expansion of solar and wind energy, nuclear energy and electric vehicles is increasingly loosening the link between economic growth and emissions," IEA Director Fatih Birol is quoted as saying in the report.
Videos by heise
COâ‚‚ emissions
The globally measured COâ‚‚ emissions associated with energy generation were cushioned by the increased use of renewable energies. Total emissions of 37.8 billion tons were measured, which corresponds to an increase of 0.8 percent. However, renewable energy generation prevented emissions from rising by a further 7 percent.
According to the report, COâ‚‚ emissions from advanced economies fell by 1.1 per cent to 10.9 billion tons. This low was last recorded fifty years ago. However, it should be noted that the total GDP of these countries is three times as high as at the last time emissions were at this level.
(tlz)
