Every year, the oil company BP publishes an analysis of the world’s energy situation and developments. The analysis covers topics such as energy production and consumption, electricity production, trade flows, as well as a number of other aspects of today’s energy systems. Here are four points from the analysis, selected by Bloomberg-journalist Nathaniel Bullard.

1. Renewable energy accounts for 13 percent of global electricity production

In 1985, coal power accounted for 38 percent of global electricity production, and natural gas accounted for 14 percent.

Nearly four decades later, coal is still the most important input factor for electricity production with a share of 36 percent, while gas-based production increased by almost 23 percent. Renewable energy production, i.e. electricity production using wind, solar and hydropower, has risen sharply, increasing its share from 0.8 percent in 1985 to 13 percent in 2021. Renewable input factors in 2016 accounted for 10 percent of electricity production.

2. Wind and sun produce more than nuclear power

By 2020, renewable power production will outpace all nuclear power production, and by 2021 wind and solar will manage on their own. By 2021, these two energy sources will account for more than 10 percent of global electricity production.

Thanks to improvements in China, nuclear power is increasing by more than 4 percent worldwide, the biggest increase since 2004.

3. China is the world’s largest importer of liquefied natural gas (LNG)

At the turn of the century, Japan was by far the world’s largest LNG importer, with about 75 billion cubic meters per year. Europe as a whole is the second largest importer, followed by South Korea. China did not start importing LNG until 2006.

Fast forward to 2021, China imported 109.5 billion cubic meters of LNG, 1.3 billion more than Europe.

Asia has accounted for 70 percent of global LNG trade over the past decade.

4. China produces more renewable electricity than Europe

China’s renewable electricity production data were not published until 1990. At that time, the country produced 0.1 terawatt-hours, which was less than 1/600 of US production. In the decades that followed, China made strides and in 2016, it surpassed the United States. In the same year, they produced nearly 60 percent of unified Europe.

In 2021, China takes another step and surpasses Europe. The country generated nearly 290 terawatt hours of total renewable electricity this year. Japan and India 302 terawatt hours.

Not only positive

Not all findings in the analysis were positive. For example, primary energy consumption will reach an all-time high in 2021. Per capita primary energy consumption has been more or less the same over the past decade.

Coal consumption also rose sharply and almost hit an all-time high in 2013.

The global energy system is huge and complex, and massive consumption of fossil fuels still dominates.