The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects that world energy consumption will grow by nearly 50 percent between 2018 and 2050.
EIA projects most of this growth will come from regions where the consumption of energy is driven by strong economic growth, particularly in non-OECD Asia.
“Energy consumption was greater in Asia than in any other region in 2018, and we project that consumption will almost double between 2018 and 2050, making Asia both the largest and fastest-growing region in the world for energy consumption,” said Linda Capuano, EIA Administrator.
Manufacturing centers are shifting toward Africa and South Asia, especially India, resulting in energy consumption growth in those regions.
Natural gas and petroleum product consumption is rising in Asia faster than supply is growing, potentially shifting global trade patterns and infrastructure investments.
Manufacturing centers are shifting toward Africa and South Asia, especially India, resulting in energy consumption growth.
The industrial sector, which includes mining, manufacturing, agriculture, and construction, accounts for more than 50 percent of global end-use energy consumption between 2018 and 2050.
EIA projects India and China will account for more than half of global output from energy-intensive manufacturing between 2018 and 2050 in the Reference case.
Non-OECD Asia accounts for about three-quarters of EIA’s projected global increase in liquid fuels consumption through 2050.
India, in particular, is projected to experience rapid industrial growth and increased demand for motorized transportation.
In contrast to energy consumption growth in Asia, EIA projects in the IEO2019 that crude oil production will be concentrated in the Americas, Russia, and the Middle East. Trade and infrastructure will have to shift to accommodate the projected production and consumption changes.
Electricity generation increases 79 percent between 2018 and 2050 in EIA’s IEO2019 projection as a result of increased electricity consumption in all end-use sectors.
On average, EIA projects in IEO2019 that OECD consumption of electricity will grow 1.0 percent annually between 2018 and 2050, while non-OECD consumption grows 2.3 percent annually.