Global Primary Energy Consumption - Vaclav Smil (2017) & BP Statistics (2020)

This data comprises of a combination of data from Appendix A of Vaclav Smil's Updated and Revised Edition of his book, 'Energy Transitions: Global and National Perspectives' (2017). & BP Statistical Review of World Energy.

All data prior to the year 1965 is sourced from Smil (2017). All data from 1965 onwards, with the exception of traditional biomass is sourced from BP Statistical Review. Smil's estimates of traditional biomass are only available until 2015. For the years 2016 onwards, we have assumed a similar level of traditional biomass consumption. This is approximately in line with recent trends in traditional biomass from Smil's data.

Our World in Data has normalised all BP fossil fuels data to terawatt-hours (TWh) using a conversion factor of 277.778 to convert from exajoules (EJ) to TWh.

This dataset includes primary energy data using two methodologies. (1) 'direct' primary energy, which does not take account of the inefficiencies in fossil fuel production. Fossil fuel data in its input equivalents (in exajoules) is compared to electricity generation (not in input equivalents) of nuclear and renewables.

(2) 'substitution' primary energy, which does take account of inefficiencies in fossil fuel production. This converts non-fossil energy to their 'input equivalents' – the amount of primary energy that would be needed if they had the same inefficiencies as fossil fuels. This is the methodology adopted in the BP statistics when all data is compared in exajoules.

Vaclav Smil (2017). Energy Transitions: Global and National Perspectives. & BP Statistical Review of World Energy.