Global demand for energy

Energy demand is the need or desire for energy
Energy consumption refers to the availability and use of energy
Energy poverty in two different worlds
1. Worldwide, some 2 billion people do not have access to a modern energy supply
2. About 1.6 billion people live without electricity, either because they are in areas without supply or because they could not afford it even if it were available
3. Having no access to energy is just one aspect of the multiple deprivation that characterises extreme poverty
4. Alleviating this 'energy poverty' is a key factor in achieving most of the UN's millennium goals
5. India
  1. India is fast becoming one of the world's largest energy consumers, but only a small percentage of the population have access to clean, efficient energy systems
    1. This is particularly the case in rural areas, where an estimated 70% of the country's population live
      1. Here, most people burn hand gathered solid fuels such as wood and dung for indoor cooking
        This way of producing energy may be light in terms of its carbon footprint, but it is known to cause serious health problems
6. UK
  1. In the UK, where energy is needed mainly for heating and lighting, energy poverty takes a rather different form
  2. There are close to 5 million rural households not connected to the mains gas network
    1. Most of these people rely on liquefied petroleum gas for their heating and cooking, but in recent years this has been considerably more expensive than mains gas
      1. Using oil for domestic heating is an alternative but can be expensive, and prices have significantly risen in recent years
  3. The winter heating allowance paid to pensioners by the government each year is official recognition that energy poverty exists in the UK, if only among elderly people
In many places, the demand for energy is fully met, in which case energy demand is matched by energy consumption
However, there are instances when energy demand is greater than the amount of energy available for use
Sources of demand
1. Energy is used for a wide variety of purposes: generating electricity, propelling transport, powering industry and homes
2. Transport takes nearly half of the world's oil production; homes and commercial properties use a little less than one-third of it, mainly for heating
3. Over two-thirds of coal production is used to generate electricity in thermal power stations
4. Much of the natural gas output is used for the same purpose, along with the heating of industrial, commercial and residential properties
Rising consumption
1. During the 20th century, energy demand increased tenfold
2. By 2050 it is expected to double and reach an annual level of around 900 exajoules
3. While much of that energy demand will be met by non-renewable sources, namely gas, oil and coal, the forecasts show an increasingly significant contribution by renewable energies
Future trends
1. Future increase in energy demand are unlikely to be even across the globe
2. China and India are expected to have the largest rises, while countries in western Europe may actually reduce their demands as a result of improved energy efficiency and rising energy costs
3. Energy consumption in the developing world is expected to double by 2020, while it increases by about one-third in the developed world
4. If this happens, energy consumption in the two 'worlds' will have become roughly equal

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Global demand for energy

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	Created by Jodie Goodacre over 11 years ago