Electricity consumption is expanding unevenly across economies, sectors and technologies. In 2024, global demand grew 4.3%, while U.S. end-use consumption reached about 4.20 trillion kWh in 2025; the figures below distinguish generation, retail sales, direct use, prices, estimates and forecasts.
Key Electricity Consumption Statistics
The most broadly useful electricity consumption statistics are:
- In 2024, global electricity demand increased 4.3% worldwide, faster than global GDP growth.
- In 2024, global electricity consumption rose by nearly 1,100 TWh worldwide, more than twice the previous decade’s average annual increase.
- From 2010 to 2023, global electricity-demand growth averaged 2.7% per year.
- In 2024, buildings accounted for nearly 60% of global electricity-demand growth.
- In 2024, electric-car sales exceeded 17 million worldwide, rising more than 25%.
- In 2024, fossil fuels supplied nearly 60% of global electricity generation.
- In 2024, renewables supplied one-third of global electricity generation.
- In 2024, renewables and nuclear together supplied 40% of global electricity generation.
- In 2024, solar PV additions reached about 550 GW globally, nearly 30% above 2023.
- In 2024, China supplied almost 60% of its electricity from coal.
- In 2024, the European Union generated nearly half of its electricity from renewables.
- In 2025, U.S. electricity end-use consumption reached about 4.20 trillion kWh, its highest recorded level.
- In 2025, U.S. residential retail electricity sales were 1.51 trillion kWh, or 37.3% of retail sales.
- In 2024, the average U.S. residential electricity price was 16.48 cents/kWh.
- In 2024, U.S. residential customers averaged 863 kWh and a $142.26 monthly bill.
- In 2024, advanced-economy energy-related CO2 emissions fell 1.1%, or 120 Mt CO2.
- From 2024 to 2030, renewable electricity generation is forecast to rise 60% worldwide, from 9,900 TWh to 16,200 TWh.
- From 2025 through 2030, renewables are forecast to meet over 90% of global electricity-demand growth.
Contents
- Global electricity demand statistics: scale and recent growth
- Global electricity generation mix and supply expansion
- Regional and country electricity consumption profiles
- U.S. electricity use by sector and long-term trends
- Electricity prices, household consumption and bills
- Electricity drivers, emissions outcomes and outlook
Global Electricity Demand Statistics: Scale and Recent Growth
The International Energy Agency reports that global electricity demand increased 4.3% in 2024, outpacing 3.2% global GDP growth. Global consumption rose by nearly 1,100 TWh, more than twice the average annual increase of the previous decade. IEA, Key findings – Global Energy Review 2025
For comparison, average global electricity-demand growth was 2.7% per year from 2010 to 2023. Buildings accounted for nearly 60% of overall global electricity-demand growth in 2024, although this aggregate includes buildings rather than households alone. IEA, Electricity – Global Energy Review 2025 – Analysis
Several demand drivers expanded during 2024:
- Global data-centre installed capacity increased an estimated 20%, or about 15 GW, but this is installed capacity, not electricity consumption itself. IEA, Key findings – Global Energy Review 2025
- Global electric-car sales rose more than 25% to exceed 17 million vehicles, and electric cars represented one-fifth of all global car sales; this is a sales measure, not the in-use fleet. IEA, Key findings – Global Energy Review 2025
- China contributed more than half of the global increase in electricity demand in 2024, while emerging and developing economies outside China recorded 4% demand growth. IEA, Key findings – Global Energy Review 2025
Global Electricity Generation Mix and Supply Expansion
Generation shares describe electricity produced, not final consumption by end users. In 2024, fossil fuels supplied nearly 60% of global generation: coal supplied 35% and natural gas supplied more than 20%.
Renewables supplied one-third, including hydropower at 14%, wind at 8% and solar PV at 7%; nuclear supplied 9%. Renewables and nuclear together supplied 40%. IEA, Electricity – Global Energy Review 2025 – Analysis
| Global source | Share of electricity generation, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Coal | 35% |
| Natural gas | More than 20% |
| Hydropower | 14% |
| Wind | 8% |
| Solar PV | 7% |
| Nuclear | 9% |
| Renewables | One-third |
Supply capacity also expanded, but capacity additions are not the same as electricity generated. Estimated global renewable capacity additions rose 25% to around 700 GW in 2024; solar PV additions reached about 550 GW, nearly 30% above 2023, and wind additions were around 120 GW. IEA, Electricity – Global Energy Review 2025 – Analysis
Regional and Country Electricity Consumption Profiles
Country and regional generation mixes show why electricity statistics should retain geography and definitions. China’s electricity generation was almost 60% coal and about 35% renewables in 2024, while India’s electricity supply was nearly three-quarters coal and more than 20% renewables. IEA, Electricity – Global Energy Review 2025 – Analysis
| Geography | Coal | Natural gas | Renewables or other stated source | Measure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | Almost 60% | — | About 35% renewables | Generation, 2024 |
| India | Nearly three-quarters | — | More than 20% renewables | Supply, 2024 |
| Southeast Asia | Almost half | About one-quarter | — | Electricity, 2024 |
| United States | — | More than 40% | — | Generation, 2024 |
| European Union | — | — | Nearly half renewables; 23% nuclear | Generation, 2024 |
In Southeast Asia, coal supplied almost half of electricity and natural gas about one-quarter in 2024. The United States generated more than 40% of its electricity from natural gas, while the European Union generated nearly half from renewables and obtained 23% from nuclear power.
These are generation shares, not end-use consumption shares. IEA, Electricity – Global Energy Review 2025 – Analysis
U.S. Electricity Use by Sector and Long-Term Trends
U.S. total electricity end-use consumption reached about 4.20 trillion kWh in 2025, the highest recorded level and 14 times the 1950 level. Direct-use electricity consumed by industrial and commercial facilities was about 3.3% of total end-use consumption; direct use means the facility consumes its own generation. EIA, Use of electricity – U.S. Energy Information Administration
| U.S. sector | Retail sales, 2025 | Share of retail sales |
|---|---|---|
| Residential | 1.51 trillion kWh | 37.3% |
| Commercial | 1.49 trillion kWh | 36.8% |
| Industrial | 1.04 trillion kWh | 25.7% |
| Transportation | About 0.01 trillion kWh | 0.2% |
Residential and commercial customers accounted for the largest reported retail-sales shares in 2025, followed by industrial users. Transportation retail sales were mostly public transit systems according to EIA, and retail-sales figures exclude direct-use electricity. EIA, Use of electricity – U.S. Energy Information Administration
The AEO2026 Counterfactual Baseline projects average U.S. electricity-demand growth of about 2% per year from 2025 through 2050. This is a scenario projection rather than an observed outcome, and weather can affect near-term demand. EIA, Use of electricity – U.S. Energy Information Administration
Electricity Prices, Household Consumption and Bills
The average U.S. electricity price to all ultimate customers was 12.94 cents/kWh in 2024, while the average residential price was 16.48 cents/kWh. Commercial customers averaged 12.75 cents/kWh, industrial customers 8.13 cents/kWh and transportation customers 12.75 cents/kWh. EIA, Electric Power Annual: Table 2.4 Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers
| U.S. customer class | Average price, 2024 |
|---|---|
| All ultimate customers | 12.94 cents/kWh |
| Residential | 16.48 cents/kWh |
| Commercial | 12.75 cents/kWh |
| Industrial | 8.13 cents/kWh |
| Transportation | 12.75 cents/kWh |
U.S. residential customers averaged 863 kWh and a $142.26 monthly bill in 2024, based on EIA data covering 143,144,185 residential customers. This is an average across reporting customers, not a household-specific estimate. EIA, 2024 Average Monthly Bill- Residential
State averages varied across the same 2024 dataset:
- California residential customers averaged 503 kWh, a $160.86 monthly bill and 31.97 cents/kWh. EIA, 2024 Average Monthly Bill- Residential
- Hawaii residential customers averaged 495 kWh, a $212.12 monthly bill and 42.86 cents/kWh. EIA, 2024 Average Monthly Bill- Residential
- Louisiana residential customers averaged 1,202 kWh, a $140.96 monthly bill and 11.73 cents/kWh. EIA, 2024 Average Monthly Bill- Residential
Electricity Drivers, Emissions Outcomes and Forward Outlook
Electricity demand and emissions do not move identically because outcomes also depend on the generation mix and other energy uses. In 2024, advanced-economy energy-related CO2 emissions fell 1.1%, or 120 Mt CO2; U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions fell 0.5%, or 20 Mt CO2, and U.S. coal-related emissions fell 4.5%. IEA, CO2 Emissions – Global Energy Review 2025 – Analysis
European Union energy-related CO2 emissions fell 2.2%, or 55 Mt CO2, in 2024, while EU power-sector emissions fell almost 10% year over year. These are energy-related or power-sector outcomes, not direct measures of total electricity consumption. IEA, CO2 Emissions – Global Energy Review 2025 – Analysis
The IEA forecasts renewable electricity generation to rise 60%, from 9,900 TWh in 2024 to 16,200 TWh in 2030. The forecast renewable share of global generation rises from 32% to 43%, and renewables are expected to meet over 90% of global electricity-demand growth from 2025 through 2030. IEA, Renewable electricity – Renewables 2025 – Analysis
Variable renewables—solar PV and wind—are projected to reach 27% of global electricity generation by 2030, a level the IEA describes as almost double their 2024 level. The 2030 value is a forecast, and its share depends on generation and demand assumptions. IEA, Renewable electricity – Renewables 2025 – Analysis