UK - Benchmark global energy report throws cold water on claims of a transition away from fossil fuels. Of the 620 exajoules consumed globally last year, 196 came from oil, 164 came from coal, and 144 came from natural gas, according to the 2024 “Statistical Review of World Energy." All renewables, excluding hydroelectric, was 8.2% of the total. The latest figures on the globe’s energy mix dispute claims that the world is quickly transitioning off of fossil fuels. According to the latest version of the “Statistical Review of World Energy,” coal, natural gas and oil remained the dominant source of energy in 2023, and coal consumption and production hit record highs.
Widely considered the benchmark source for data on energy trends across the globe, the “Statistical Review” has been published every year since 1952. The report was originally produced by BP, until the British energy company announced last year it was passing off the task to the Energy Institute, a United Kingdom-based energy nonprofit.
Mark Mills, senior fellow with the National Center for Energy Analytics, told Just the News that he didn’t find the data on hydrocarbon use — another name for fossil fuel — surprising. He’s been predicting for years that, despite claims to the contrary, use and production of fossil fuels would go up as energy demand rises. “This is not a blip. It’s a feature of society, not a bug,” Mills said.
Of the 620 exajoules consumed globally last year, another 25 exajoules were produced by nuclear reactors, 40 exajoules were produced by hydroelectric facilities, and 51 exajoules were produced by renewables other than hydroelectric, which includes wind and solar energy.