BP Statistical Review of World Energy (iTunes)
BP's "Statistical Review of World Energy: Quantifying Energy, the Global Context" is summarized online in several forms, including a video podcast available on iTunes.
November 16, 2006
The report was published in June, 2006, while Americans were paying record high prices for gas. BP has posted several useful resources including Excel spreadsheets, a clever graphing tool, podcasts and video.
Is it a commentary on society, or simply the explosion in public interest in energy, that this information was produced in podcast form and made available on iTunes? The medium didn't inspire BP to break from their British production sensibilities. In the video Peter Davies, Chief Economist for BP, presents the 2005 results while seated at a desk in a suit. His delivery is dry, of that uniquely British brand of dryness, almost Saharan.
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CHARTING TOOL -- BP's world energy data resources include an interactive chart. We used it to create this graphic comparing nuclear energy consumption in four countries. It took about a minute to customize the chart. |
Not surprisingly, China represented more than half the growth in total world energy consumption, but overall growth slowed in every region and for every fuel, according to the BP report.
Energy prices rose in 2005 for the third consecutive year. Activity was high in the sector, with above-trend economic growth and heightened interest in energy by investors and the public.
World primary energy consumption increased by 2.7 percent in 2005. That's below the previous year's 4.4 percent, but still above the ten-year average.
Gas use declined by 1.5 percent in the U.S., the world's largest consumer of gasoline. Russia and OPEC gained oil export market share, while OECD output was flat and U.S. output fell due to the hurricanes.
Natural gas consumption grew at close to its ten-year average rate, but fell in North America (down 1.5 percent in the U.S.). Growth in NG use for power generation was offset by a decline in industrial use. Liquefied natural gas consumption was up 6 percent. U.S. LNG imports declined, but imports increased in Europe and Asia.
Coal is the world's fastest-growing source of fuel. World consumption rose by five percent, twice the ten-year average. China coal consumption rose by eleven percent. Consumption growth in the U.S. was above average.
Hydropower growth rose by 4 percent, boosted by 14 percent output increase in China. Low rainfall reduced hydro output in Europe and the U.S.
Nuclear output remained near capacity, with little growth. Davies did not mention wind, solar, geothermal, or emerging energy sources, even though BP is a supplier of renewable energy products.