Energy demand drivers

  • Affordable and reliable energy fuels economic development and modern living standards.
  • Large energy disparity still exists between developed and developing countries.
  • Growing energy consumption supports economic expansion, enabling longer, more productive lives for the growing global population.

More than 4 billion people live below modern standards for life expectancy, education, and income

U.N. Human Development Index
2022 Index

Image More than 4 billion people live below modern standards for life expectancy, education, and income
Source (see reference list): U.N. Human Development Reports, EIA, ExxonMobil analysis

Energy improves quality of life.

  • Rising energy use fuels higher incomes that enable people to own homes, purchase labor-saving appliances, travel, and obtain needed medical services.
  • The United Nations Human Development Index is a measure of average quality of life by country, based on life expectancy, education, and income.
  • Consumption of 50 million British thermal units (MMBTU) per person is the threshold needed to materially move the human development indicators; however, today, more than 4 billion people live in countries below the “modern energy minimum.”

Population

Image Population

 OECD: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a group of more affluent democracies with market-based economies that promotes economic growth. 

GDP

Image GDP
OECD: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a group of more affluent democracies with market-based economies that promotes economic growth. 

Purchasing power per person

Image Purchasing power per person
OECD: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a group of more affluent democracies with market-based economies that promotes economic growth. 

By 2050, population is expected to grow by nearly 2 billion people as GDP doubles.

  • Developing countries’ income doubles to $25,000 but remains well below developed-country levels.

Energy per capita

Image Energy per capita

Energy use per person grows in developing countries, driven by economic expansion.

  • Developed countries continue to see efficiency gains, which enables continued economic growth with less energy.

Global energy demand to grow 15% by 2050

Global energy demand
Quadrillion Btu

Image Global energy demand to grow 15% by 2050
Source (see reference list): Smil, Energy Transitions (1900-1960), 2024 ExxonMobil Global Outlook (1970-2050)

Population and economic growth drive global energy demand to increase by 15%.

  • >10% reduction in energy demand in developed countries from efficiency gains is offset by >25% increase in energy demand in developing countries.

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Projections vs. scenarios

Projections vs. scenarios

Energy supply

Energy supply

About the ExxonMobil Global Outlook

About the ExxonMobil Global Outlook

2024 Global Outlook glossary

2024 Global Outlook glossary

Energy transition progress

Energy transition progress

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