The share of renewable energy sources in the global energy balance reaches 5.7%

The share of renewable energy sources in the global energy balance reached 5.7%. Such data was published by BP (British Petroleum) in the  2020 annual statistical report on the development of the world energy.

According to the survey, primary energy consumption in the world decreased by 4.5% in 2020.

The decrease was mainly due to a decrease in oil consumption by 9.7%, which accounted for almost three quarters of the total decrease in energy consumption.

In 2020, there was a decrease in the consumption of all types of fuels, with the exception of renewable energy sources and hydropower. Thus, the growth of renewable energy sources was 9.7% and  hydropower accounted for 1%.

Primary energy consumption declined in all regions, with the largest declines in North America by 8% and in Europe by 7.8%.

The smallest decrease in energy consumption occurred in the Asia-Pacific region - 1.6%, caused by an increase in consumption in China by 2.1%. According to BP, China was the only major country to see energy consumption increase in 2020.

The decrease in consumption in South and Central America was 7.8%, in the Middle East - 3.1%.

Structure of world primary energy consumption

In the structure of the world energy balance, oil accounts for 31.2%, coal accounts for 27.2%, natural gas accounts for 24.7%, hydropower - 6.9%, renewable energy sources - 5.7%, nuclear energy – 4.3%.