Trend Rising energy and electricity demand, now also in the West

Summary

The report finds that global energy demand keeps rising and that most of the growth now comes from developing and emerging economies such as China and India. After years of decline, energy use in Western economies also increased last year. Rising global electricity demand is explained by more industrial activity, data centres and the need for cooling during heatwaves. Countries such as China, India and the US are investing in nuclear power to expand low-carbon generation. In the Netherlands too, electrification and digitalisation are pushing up energy demand, and large data centres consume a substantial share of the country's electricity. The report warns that growing electricity demand combined with geopolitical events could put security of energy supply under strain.