Global primary energy supply reached a record 600 exajoules in 2025, rising 1.7% during the year as growing energy demand continued to drive both clean energy expansion and fossil fuel consumption.
The latest Statistical Review of World Energy, produced by the Energy Institute, shows that while low-carbon sources met all of the growth in global electricity generation in 2025, oil and natural gas production also increased.
The findings were discussed by energy experts at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, highlighting the growing complexity of the global energy transition.
The report found that energy demand increased by 2% in non-OECD countries, compared with 1.1% in OECD economies, reflecting continued industrialisation, population growth and economic expansion in developing markets.
Clean energy meets electricity growth
A major milestone highlighted in the report was the fact that all growth in global electricity generation in 2025 was met by low-carbon sources.
According to Energy Institute Chief Executive Nick Wayth, global electricity generation grew by about 3%, with low-carbon sources accounting for all of the increase.
He described the development as a significant milestone that could indicate the world is approaching a turning point in the energy transition. However, the report shows that the transition is occurring through addition rather than simple replacement, with renewable energy expanding while fossil fuel consumption remains significant.
Oil and gas production continues to rise
Global oil production increased by 3.5% in 2025, considerably faster than oil consumption, which rose 1.3%.
The United States remained the world’s largest oil producer, increasing its output by about 4%.
Natural gas production also grew by 1.6%, while US liquefied natural gas exports increased by 27% to nearly 150 billion cubic metres, strengthening the country’s position as the world’s leading LNG exporter.
At the same time, energy-related greenhouse gas emissions increased by 1.1% to approximately 41 gigatons globally.
AI and data centres drive electricity demand
The review also identified data centres as an increasingly important source of global electricity demand, particularly as cloud computing and artificial intelligence expand.
Data centres consumed approximately 788 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2025, equivalent to about 2.4% of global electricity generation.
The United States accounted for roughly 40% of global data-centre electricity consumption, with data centres representing about 6.6% of the country’s electricity generation.
In some regional electricity markets, data centres already account for between 30% and 40% of electricity demand, with consumption growing by about 25% annually.
Energy demand creates new transition challenges
The findings underscore a central challenge for governments: meeting rapidly rising energy demand while reducing emissions.
Although renewable energy is expanding at record rates and is increasingly responsible for new electricity generation, the continued growth of oil and gas highlights the difficulty of replacing fossil fuels while global energy consumption continues to rise. The Statistical Review provides global data on energy production, consumption, emissions and electrification, offering a basis for assessing how the world’s energy system is evolving.