The Energy Mix and Global Consumption

This lesson examines global energy sources, consumption patterns and the role of key energy players, addressing the Edexcel A-Level Geography (9GE0) specification, Topic 6, Enquiry Question: "What are the consequences of increasing demand for energy?"

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Primary Energy Sources

Primary energy is energy found in nature that has not been subjected to any conversion or transformation process. Primary energy sources can be classified as:

Classification	Type	Examples	Renewability
Fossil fuels	Non-renewable	Coal, oil, natural gas	Finite — formed over millions of years
Nuclear	Non-renewable (but very long-lasting)	Uranium-235, thorium	Finite but abundant
Renewables	Renewable	Solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, tidal, wave, biomass	Replenished naturally

The Global Energy Mix (2023)

Energy Source	Share of Global Primary Energy	Trend
Oil	~31%	Slowly declining share but absolute consumption still growing
Coal	~27%	Declining in Europe/US; still growing in parts of Asia
Natural gas	~24%	Growing; seen as "transition fuel"
Hydroelectric	~7%	Slowly growing; limited new sites
Nuclear	~4%	Stable/declining share; some new builds (China, France)
Wind	~3.5%	Rapidly growing
Solar	~2.5%	Fastest growing energy source
Bioenergy	~0.7%	Growing slowly
Other renewables	~0.3%	Geothermal, tidal, wave — small but growing

Fossil fuels still account for approximately 82% of global primary energy — down from ~87% in 2010, but declining only slowly.

Exam Tip: The Edexcel specification distinguishes between the energy mix (the combination of energy sources used) and energy consumption (the total amount of energy used). The energy mix varies enormously between countries — always be ready to provide contrasting examples.

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Energy Consumption Patterns

Global Trends

Global primary energy consumption has grown dramatically:

Year	Global Energy Consumption (Exajoules, EJ)	Key Drivers
1950	~100 EJ	Post-war reconstruction; limited developing world demand
1970	~200 EJ	"Golden age" of growth in West; oil becomes dominant
1990	~350 EJ	Continued industrialisation; emergence of Asian economies
2010	~525 EJ	China's industrial boom; globalisation
2023	~620 EJ	Continued growth despite efficiency gains; India growing rapidly

Energy consumption has increased by approximately 6x since 1950, driven by:

• Population growth — from 2.5 billion (1950) to 8 billion (2023)
• Economic development — industrialisation, mechanisation, urbanisation
• Rising living standards — more appliances, heating/cooling, transport
• Globalisation — increased trade and transport distances

Regional Consumption Patterns

Region	Energy Consumption (EJ, 2023)	Per Capita (GJ/person)	Trend
Asia-Pacific	~290	~48	Rapidly growing (China, India)
North America	~115	~285	Stable/slowly declining per capita
Europe	~80	~107	Declining (efficiency + renewables)
Middle East	~40	~120	Growing (oil-rich nations, high consumption)
Africa	~20	~14	Very low per capita; growing slowly
South America	~30	~68	Moderate growth

The enormous disparity in per capita consumption is striking: a typical North American consumes approximately 20 times more energy than a typical African.

Consumption by Sector

Sector	Share of Global Final Energy Use	Key Fuels
Industry	~29%	Coal, gas, electricity, oil
Transport	~26%	Oil (92%), electricity (growing), biofuels
Residential	~21%	Gas, electricity, biomass, oil
Commercial/services	~8%	Electricity, gas
Agriculture	~2%	Oil, electricity
Non-energy use (petrochemicals)	~14%	Oil, gas (as raw materials)

Transport remains almost entirely dependent on oil (~92%), making it the sector most vulnerable to oil supply disruption and the hardest to decarbonise.

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Energy Players

The global energy system is shaped by several key players — organisations, governments and corporations that influence energy supply, pricing and policy.

OPEC (Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)

Aspect	Detail
Founded	1960 (Baghdad, Iraq)
Members (2024)	12: Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Iran, Venezuela, Nigeria, Libya, Algeria, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea
Share of global oil production	~30%
Share of global proven oil reserves	~70%
Mechanism	Sets production quotas to influence global oil prices
Influence	Can raise or lower oil prices by adjusting supply; significant geopolitical power

OPEC+ (OPEC plus allies including Russia) coordinates production to manage prices, controlling approximately 55% of global oil production.