Renewables meet most growth as global energy demand surges in 2024: IEA
More cooling amid rising temperatures, as well as growing consumption from industry, electrification of transport and growth of data centres and AI boost demand
Global energy demand surged to almost twice its recent average last year amid rising electricity consumption, with renewables meeting the largest share of the new energy needs, the International Energy Agency said.
The IEA’s latest Global Energy Review found that worldwide energy demand rose by 2.2% last year. That was lower than GDP growth of 3.2% but considerably faster than the average annual demand increase of 1.3% between 2013 and 2023, the report said.
Emerging and developing economies accounted for more than four-fifths of the increase, although energy consumption in China grew by 3%, less than half of its 2023 rate. Advanced economies after several years of declines also returned to growth, with demand rising by almost 1%.