World - Electric power consumption (kWh per capita)

The value for Electric power consumption (kWh per capita) in World was 3,128 as of 2014. As the graph below shows, over the past 43 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 3,128 in 2014 and a minimum value of 1,200 in 1971.

Definition: Electric power consumption measures the production of power plants and combined heat and power plants less transmission, distribution, and transformation losses and own use by heat and power plants.

Source: IEA Statistics © OECD/IEA 2014 (http://www.iea.org/stats/index.asp), subject to https://www.iea.org/t&c/termsandconditions/

See also:

Year Value
1971 1,200
1972 1,274
1973 1,347
1974 1,347
1975 1,356
1976 1,427
1977 1,473
1978 1,525
1979 1,570
1980 1,587
1981 1,597
1982 1,571
1983 1,609
1984 1,680
1985 1,719
1986 1,744
1987 1,804
1988 1,860
1989 1,897
1990 2,128
1991 2,153
1992 2,134
1993 2,140
1994 2,163
1995 2,201
1996 2,240
1997 2,262
1998 2,285
1999 2,317
2000 2,387
2001 2,380
2002 2,435
2003 2,501
2004 2,579
2005 2,656
2006 2,733
2007 2,822
2008 2,844
2009 2,794
2010 2,958
2011 3,023
2012 3,048
2013 3,107
2014 3,128

Development Relevance: An economy's production and consumption of electricity are basic indicators of its size and level of development. Although a few countries export electric power, most production is for domestic consumption. Expanding the supply of electricity to meet the growing demand of increasingly urbanized and industrialized economies without incurring unacceptable social, economic, and environmental costs is one of the great challenges facing developing countries. Modern societies are becoming increasing dependent on reliable and secure electricity supplies to underpin economic growth and community prosperity. This reliance is set to grow as more efficient and less carbon intensive forms of power are developed and deployed to help decarbonize economies. Maintaining reliable and secure electricity services while seeking to rapidly decarbonize power systems is a key challenge for countries throughout the world. In developing economies growth in energy use is closely related to growth in the modern sectors - industry, motorized transport, and urban areas - but energy use also reflects climatic, geographic, and economic factors (such as the relative price of energy). Energy use has been growing rapidly in low- and middle-income economies, but high-income economies still use almost five times as much energy on a per capita basis. Governments in many countries are increasingly aware of the urgent need to make better use of the world's energy resources. Improved energy efficiency is often the most economic and readily available means of improving energy security and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Limitations and Exceptions: Data on electric power production and consumption are collected from national energy agencies by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and adjusted by the IEA to meet international definitions. Data are reported as net consumption as opposed to gross consumption. Net consumption excludes the energy consumed by the generating units. For all countries except the United States, total electric power consumption is equal total net electricity generation plus electricity imports minus electricity exports minus electricity distribution losses. The IEA makes these estimates in consultation with national statistical offices, oil companies, electric utilities, and national energy experts. The IEA occasionally revises its time series to reflect political changes, and energy statistics undergo continual changes in coverage or methodology as more detailed energy accounts become available. Breaks in series are therefore unavoidable.

Statistical Concept and Methodology: Electric power consumption per capita (kWh ) is the production of power plants and combined heat and power plants less transmission, distribution, and transformation losses and own use by heat and power plants, divided by midyear population. Energy data are compiled by the International Energy Agency (IEA). IEA data for economies that are not members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are based on national energy data adjusted to conform to annual questionnaires completed by OECD member governments. Electricity consumption is equivalent to production less power plants' own use and transmission, distribution, and transformation losses less exports plus imports. It includes consumption by auxiliary stations, losses in transformers that are considered integral parts of those stations, and electricity produced by pumping installations. Where data are available, it covers electricity generated by primary sources of energy - coal, oil, gas, nuclear, hydro, geothermal, wind, tide and wave, and combustible renewables. Neither production nor consumption data capture the reliability of supplies, including breakdowns, load factors, and frequency of outages.

Aggregation method: Weighted average

Periodicity: Annual

General Comments: Restricted use: Please contact the International Energy Agency for third-party use of these data.

Classification

Topic: Environment Indicators

Sub-Topic: Energy production & use