Sylvie Willis
Fossil fuels, including coal, oil, and gas, have long been the dominant source of energy worldwide. In 2023, fossil fuels accounted for 82% of the global energy mix, with coal, oil, and natural gas making up 81% of this figure. This is a slight increase from the previous year, when fossil fuels made up 80% of the global energy mix. While the consumption of fossil fuels has decreased in some countries, such as Europe and the US, it continues to dominate global power systems, with over 60% of global electricity in 2023 being produced by fossil fuels.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of world energy production from fossil fuels in 2023 | 82% |
| Percentage of world energy production from fossil fuels in 2020 | 81% |
| Percentage of global electricity generated from fossil fuels in 2023 | Over 60% |
| Percentage of US energy production from fossil fuels in 2023 | 60% |
| Percentage of global greenhouse gas emissions caused by fossil fuels | 75% |
| Percentage of global primary energy from fossil fuels | Around 80% |
| Percentage of global electricity production from fossil fuels | Much smaller share than in the energy system as a whole |
| Percentage of global electricity production from oil | Less than 3% |
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What You'll Learn
Fossil fuels' contribution to global energy in 2023
Fossil fuels, including coal, oil, and natural gas, continue to dominate the global energy mix, accounting for approximately 80-82% of global energy production in 2023. This figure represents a slight increase from the previous year, with global primary energy consumption reaching historic highs. The rise in fossil fuel consumption was driven by a spike in energy demand, particularly in the Global South, where energy demand is growing at twice the global rate.
While the transition to cleaner energy sources is gaining momentum, the absolute demand for energy continues to outpace the deployment of renewable energy solutions. This dynamic highlights the ongoing challenge of aligning global energy consumption with climate goals. Fossil fuels remain the primary source of electricity worldwide, with coal generating approximately 36% of global electricity as of August 2023. Additionally, total world electricity generation from natural gas reached a new high of 630 TWh in the same month, driven by increased gas-fired generation in the United States and China.
Despite the overall increase in fossil fuel consumption, there are positive trends in specific regions. In Europe, fossil fuel consumption dipped below 70% for the first time, and consumption in the US, the world's third-largest consumer of coal, has halved in the last decade. These shifts have led to significant reductions in CO2 emissions in these regions. China, a leading consumer of coal, is also making strides in renewable energy, accounting for 55% of all renewable energy additions in 2023.
The persistence of fossil fuels as the primary energy source underscores the need for accelerated transition to clean energy. Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, have become more competitive due to rising fossil fuel prices. Additionally, the cost of electricity from renewable sources has decreased significantly in recent years, making them a more attractive option for many countries. Nevertheless, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that 90% of the world's electricity should come from renewable sources by 2050 to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change.
To summarize, while fossil fuels still contribute significantly to global energy in 2023, there are encouraging signs of a shift towards cleaner energy sources. The transition to renewable energy is gaining traction, driven by economic factors and the recognition of the environmental and health impacts of fossil fuel consumption. However, more urgent and widespread adoption of renewable energy solutions is necessary to achieve global climate goals and ensure a sustainable future.
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Fossil fuels' contribution to global energy in 2019
Fossil fuels have been the dominant energy source worldwide for centuries. The burning of solid fuels like wood, crop waste, or charcoal was the primary energy source before the Industrial Revolution, after which coal, oil, and gas took over.
In 2019, fossil fuels accounted for 81-84% of the world's primary energy consumption. Oil was the most produced form of energy at 190 EJ, with a 33% share of global energy consumption. Coal was the second largest source of energy, with a 27% share, followed by natural gas at 24.2%. Together, these fossil fuels comprised over 80% of the global energy mix. China led the world in energy consumption growth, followed by India and Indonesia.
While renewable energy sources are growing quickly, they still only provided 27% of global electricity in 2019. Hydropower and nuclear power are the largest sources of low-carbon energy, but wind and solar are increasing rapidly, with wind up 14% and solar up 12% in 2019. Despite this positive trend, the world needs to accelerate the transition to low-carbon energy sources to combat climate change and reduce air pollution deaths, which currently number at least five million per year.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused a decrease in fossil fuel production in 2020, with oil production down 7% and coal production down 4%. This led to an overall decrease in fossil fuel production of 5% compared to 2019.
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Fossil fuels' contribution to US energy
Fossil fuels, including coal, oil, and natural gas, have historically been the dominant sources of energy in the United States. In 2018, fossil fuels accounted for about 80% of the nation's energy demand, a slight decrease from 84% a decade earlier. Crude oil accounted for nearly a quarter of US energy production in 2018, while natural gas accounted for about a third, with dramatic increases driven by new technologies like fracking. The US was the world's biggest producer of oil and natural gas in 2018.
However, renewable energy sources are growing rapidly in the US. Solar and wind power, for example, have expanded quickly over the past decade, although they still accounted for less than 4% of US energy use in 2018. In 2023, renewable energy production and consumption reached record highs, with solar and wind energy production increasing significantly. Hydropower, biofuels, and geothermal energy consumption also increased, with the latter reaching a record high in 2023.
According to the US Energy Information Administration, in 2023, about 4.18 trillion kilowatthours (kWh) of electricity were generated in the US, with fossil fuels contributing about 60%, nuclear energy about 19%, and renewable sources about 21%. This represents a slight shift away from fossil fuels compared to 2018, when they accounted for 80% of the nation's energy demand.
While the US has made progress in transitioning to renewable energy sources, fossil fuels still play a significant role in its energy mix. As of 2023, fossil fuels—petroleum, natural gas, and coal—accounted for about 84% of total US primary energy production. This heavy reliance on fossil fuels has consequences for the environment, as energy production from burning fossil fuels accounts for about three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions.
To summarize, while renewable energy sources are gaining traction in the US, fossil fuels continue to be the predominant source of energy. However, with growing public concern about climate change and its impact, there is a push to accelerate the transition to low-carbon energy systems, including renewable technologies and nuclear power.
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Fossil fuels' impact on climate change
Fossil fuels—coal, oil, and gas—are the largest contributor to global climate change. The burning of fossil fuels releases large amounts of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, causing global warming and climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has found that emissions from fossil fuels are the dominant cause of global warming. In 2018, 89% of global CO2 emissions came from fossil fuels and industry.
Fossil fuels accounted for more than 81% of global energy production in 2019. Oil was the most produced form of energy, at 190 EJ, followed by coal and natural gas. Coal remained the dominant fuel for power generation in 2019, reaching 37% of global electricity production, with renewables at almost 27%. In the United States, about 60% of electricity generation in 2023 was from fossil fuels.
The burning of fossil fuels has increased steadily since the invention of the first coal-fired steam engines in the 1700s. Today, we burn over 4,000 times the amount of fossil fuels burnt in 1776. Fossil fuels are used to generate electricity, power transportation, and industrial processes. The manufacturing and industrial sectors are some of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, as they burn fossil fuels to produce energy for making cement, iron, steel, electronics, plastics, and other goods.
The effects of burning fossil fuels are far-reaching, impacting both human and environmental health. The average global temperature has already increased by 1°C, and global temperatures passed the critical 1.5°C milestone in 2024. Warming above 1.5°C risks further sea level rise, extreme weather, biodiversity loss, species extinction, food scarcity, and worsening health and poverty for millions worldwide. The IPCC warns that fossil fuel emissions must be halved within 11 years if global warming is to be limited to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
To reduce global emissions and mitigate climate change, a shift from fossil fuels to low-carbon energy sources is necessary. This includes renewable technologies such as hydropower, wind, solar, bioenergy, geothermal, and nuclear power.
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Fossil fuels vs. renewable energy
Fossil fuels, including coal, oil, and natural gas, have been the dominant source of energy since the Industrial Revolution. In 2019, fossil fuels accounted for more than 81% of global energy production, with oil being the most produced form of energy. However, the production of fossil fuels decreased in 2020 relative to 2019, with a 5% overall decrease and a 7% decrease in oil production due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Renewable energy sources, on the other hand, are newer, having been introduced in the 1980s. These sources include solar, wind, hydropower, bioenergy, geothermal, and tidal energy. While they had high installation costs, renewable energy sources are now becoming more affordable due to government subsidies and the decreasing cost of technology. In 2019, renewables provided almost 27% of global electricity, a 3% increase from 2018.
One of the main advantages of renewable energy sources is that they are much cleaner than fossil fuels. Fossil fuels emit large amounts of CO2, the main cause of global warming, and are responsible for approximately 8 million deaths each year due to pollution. Renewable energy sources, on the other hand, are often completely clean, with solar and wind power producing no emissions. Additionally, renewable energy sources are typically deployed more rapidly than fossil fuel plants and have substantially fewer emissions over their lifetimes.
However, one challenge with renewable energy sources is that they are dependent on weather conditions, such as sunlight and wind, which cannot be controlled. As a result, solar and wind farms still need to keep fossil-fueled generators running as backup. While battery storage is an option, it is currently not feasible to store enough energy to power a nation for an extended period.
Despite this challenge, it is crucial to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources to reduce global emissions and mitigate climate change. Nuclear energy has been proposed as a solution to replace fossil fuels, as it is reliable, safe, and clean. However, solar and wind power, when properly integrated, can also make a significant contribution to carbon reduction.
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Frequently asked questions
Fossil fuels comprised 82% of the global energy mix in 2023, with coal, oil, and natural gas making up the majority of this.
Fossil fuels accounted for more than 81% of the world's energy production in 2020, with oil being the most produced form of energy.
Fossil fuels accounted for over 60% of global electricity generation in 2023, with several key countries sourcing over half of their electricity from fossil fuels.
The use of fossil fuels has increased significantly over the past few centuries, with consumption doubling since 1980. However, the types of fossil fuels used have changed, with a shift away from coal towards oil and gas.
