Setting the Energy Scene

The annual, worldwide primary energy consumption in 2022 amounted to ca. 700 EJ, which corresponded to an average power consumption of 3.0 kW per person. The growing population, together with the expected increase in the energy demand in the developing world, will push the energy demand up. Most of the energy utilised is still coming from fossil fuel sources, but their contribution is slowly declining, whereas the contribution from renewable energy, and specifically wind and solar energy, is rapidly increasing. A large part of primary energy carriers is used for electric power generation, and the fraction of energy going into electric power is steadily increasing. As a result, global emissions related to the chemical industry will decrease. However, electric power is only one of the contributing factors to the carbon footprint of the industry, and further measures, with their challenges, are needed to reduce their emissions.