Global share of primary energy consumption 2023, by country
In 2023, China consumed 27.4 percent of global primary energy, positioning itself as the largest primary energy consumer across the world. The United States followed, with more than double the consumption share of India and Russia, the third and fourth-largest consumers worldwide.
China’s use of energy
Most of the primary energy consumed in China comes from coal, while crude oil is the country’s second most-consumed resource. Primary energy consumption in China has increased four-fold since 2000 and continues to rise each year. Rapid energy plants construction is a major reason for China's rising energy consumption.
Sources of primary energy
Primary energy comes directly from natural resources, both renewable and non-renewable, and has not yet been subject to transformation through human processes. Fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and gas are the most common types of primary energy sources worldwide. Consumption of renewables such as solar and wind currently remains at a much lower level than that of fossil fuels. For instance, the use of coal alone is three times greater than that of renewable sources. However, global renewable energy consumption has been growing steadily over the past decades.
