The benchmark global energy report throws cold water on claims of a transition away from fossil fuels

The latest figures on the globe’s energy mix dispute claim that the world is rapidly transitioning away from fossil fuels.

According to the latest version of the World Energy Statistical Review, coal, natural gas and oil remained the dominant energy source in 2023, and coal consumption and production hit record levels.

Mark Mills, senior fellow at the National Center for Energy Analytics, said Only the News that he did not find the data on the use of hydrocarbons – another name for fossil fuels – surprising.

He has predicted for years that, despite claims to the contrary, the use and production of fossil fuels will increase as energy demand increases.

“This is not a blow. It’s a feature of society, not a bug,” Mills said.

Eighteen zero

Widely regarded as the standard source for data on energy trends across the globe, the Statistical Review has been published annually since 1952. The report was originally produced by BP, until the British energy company announced last year that it was The Energy Institute, a non-profit energy organization based in the United Kingdom, passed the charge.

According to this year’s “Statistical Review”, the world consumed 620 exajoules of primary energy. Primary energy is energy in its lowest form, which can then be used to produce other forms of energy. For example, coal is a primary energy source that can be used to create electricity.

A joule is approximately the amount of energy needed to lift a stick of butter 39 inches high. One hundred joules delivered for 1 hour can power a 100 watt light bulb for one hour. And 620 exajoules is 620 million trillion, or 620 followed by 18 zeros.

Of the 620 exajoules consumed globally last year, 196 exajoules came from oil, 164 exajoules came from coal and 144 exajoules came from natural gas, according to 2024.Statistical Review.” Another 25 exajoules were produced by nuclear reactors, 40 exajoules were produced by hydroelectric plants, and 51 exajoules were produced by renewable sources other than hydroelectricity, which includes wind and solar power.

charcoal

In 2023, coal production reached the highest level in the history of the report, reaching 179 exajoules, and the energy consumed by coal increased by 1.6% during 2022, which was seven times higher than the ten-year growth rate of previous. While China was the world’s largest consumer of coal power, India consumed more power from coal than North America and Europe combined.

The US produced 526.5 million metric tons of coal in 2023, and 230 million tons came from Wyoming, America’s largest coal-producing state. As the globe swallows coal in increasing amounts each year, according to the Statistical Review, coal consumption in both Europe and North America fell below 10 exajoules — the lowest levels since 1965.

Travis Deti, executive director of the Wyoming Mining Association, said Only the News coal will attract developing countries like India because it is affordable, abundant and reliable.

“The world wants what the United States has, and what we have is built on coal. And now they are going for it”, said Deti.

He said Wyoming coal producers have had talks with importers in China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam about buying Wyoming coal, but export capacity on the West Coast is very limited.

Wyoming had been pursuing an export terminal in Washington state that would open up markets in Asia, but in 2017, Washington denied a permit for the export dock, arguing it would cause environmental damage to the Columbia River. Wyoming and Montana tried to sue Washington, arguing that denying the permit violated the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition against trade protectionism between states. The US Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that it would not allow the lawsuit to proceed.

“The environmental movement controls the West Coast, and we just can’t take our coal off the West Coast right now,” Deti said.

He said it was not a win for the environment. Asia would increase its coal consumption, but instead of using Wyoming coal, which is very low in sulfur and other harmful pollutants, they are using dirtier coal. According to the “Statistical Journal” India and China get most of their coal from Indonesia, Australia and Russia.

“We have [mining] ability to meet overseas demand. It is a pity that we are where we are today because of the wrong policy”, said Deti.

The US exports coal to countries around the world, including China and Asia, but in terms of export volume, America exports only a fraction of what comes from Indonesia, Australia and Russia.

Oil and gas

Global oil production rose by 1.8 million barrels per day last year, reaching a record 96 million barrels per day, according to “Statistical Review.” The US remained the largest producer and increased its output by over 8%.

In 2022, the report said, consumption of oil and biofuel products, such as ethanol and renewable oil, exceeded 100 million barrels per day for the first time. In 2023, only the consumption of petroleum products exceeded that amount.

Natural gas demand rose 0.02%, just slightly above pre-pandemic levels, and production in 2023 remained flat.

Total primary energy consumption in 2023 increased by 2%, according to the “Statistical Review”, and as a share of total primary energy, fossil fuel consumption decreased by 0.4% in 2023 to 81.5%.

Mills said that if the amount of fossil fuel consumption declines, it will be far in the future. He said the share of energy supplied by coal, oil and natural gas may fall as a share of the total, but the volume will rise. Demand for energy will increase, he said, and countries will look for the cheapest and most available source of energy.

“The transition that people are talking about is not a transition in quantity. It’s a stock transition,” Mills explained.

Electricity demand has been flat in the US for the past 15 years, but increases in data centers and manufacturing electricity use will see demand increase by 90 gigawatts by 2030.

Because of its large capacity to produce natural gas, the U.S. has been able to shift a significant portion of its coal consumption to natural gas, but Mills predicts, as loads on the U.S. grid increase, the amount of coal consumption in the US has reached its end.

Wind and solar

Wind and solar saw the largest year-over-year growth in capacity in 2023, according to “Statistical Review.Combined, the two power sources grew from 186 billion watts to 462 billion watts, an increase of 67%. Solar accounted for 346 billion watts of the total, an increase of 75%.

While the generating capacity of wind and solar increased in percentage from 2022, it remains a small part of the total energy consumed on the planet. One watt equals one joule, so for comparison, the globe consumed 504 million trillion watts from fossil fuels.

The report also notes that greenhouse gas emissions from energy use, industrial processes, flaring and methane increased by 2.1% from 2022, setting a new record.