Electricity

Electricity consumption

Darmstadter (1971) presents data for electricity consumption for the years 1925, 1938, 1950, 1955, 1960 and 1965. The worlds total electricity consumption rose from 188 billion Kwh (675 Tera Joule) in 1925 to 2240 billion Kwh (12023 TJ) in 1965, an almost 18-fold increase in 40 years. USA, OECD Europe, CIS and Japan were the largest consumers and showed the fastest increase. The last 3 decades China and India also showed a large increase in electricity consumption.

• Download table: World electricity consumption (xls, 22Kb)  

Partial data for industrial consumption of electricity for some European countries are provided by Svennilson (1954) for 1929, 1938 and 1950. Consumption in industry rose by 60% between 1929 and 1938, and by another 45% up to 1950. This table provides per capita consumption of electricity outside industry and transport. The data refer to consumption for household use, commercial activities, administration, handicrafts, farms, streetlightning, hospitals, etc. The total consumption of electricity for 12 European countries rose from 46 kWh/cap in 1929, to 95 kWh/cap in 1938 and 229 kWh/cap in 1950. 

References

• References