Per Capita Extremes: A primitive human used about 2,000 kcal/day from food. The average modern person in a developed country commands energy equivalent to 100–500 primitive humans working 24/7 thanks to machines and fuels. The U.S. uses far more than the global average, but emerging economies are catching up fast—driving nearly all new demand growth.
Mind-Blowing Facts & Figures
Here’s where the numbers get exciting:
Global energy use has skyrocketed: In 1800, the world ran mostly on biomass (wood, dung). Today, total primary energy supply is around 592 exajoules (EJ)—enough to boil the world’s oceans multiple times over. Oil still leads at ~34%, followed by natural gas (25%) and coal (28%).
Electricity demand is exploding: Global electricity crossed 30,856 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2024—a 4% jump in one year. Heatwaves, EVs, data centers, and industry drove much of it.
Renewables are surging: Solar and wind added hundreds of gigawatts in 2024–2025. Clean power (renewables + nuclear + hydro) now supplies over 40% of electricity in many countries. The world is on track to add ~793 GW of renewable capacity in 2025 alone—more than the entire power capacity of many large nations.
