Electricity Production continues to grow around the world, from a variety of sources. In terms of world electricity production, the US Department of Energy predicts advances strongly from 2004 to 2030. Global electricity production increases by 2.4 percent per year over the projection period, from 16,424 billion kilowatthours in 2004 to 30,364 billion kilowatthours in 2030. Much of the growth in electric power demand is projected for nations outside the OECD. Although the non-OECD nations consumed 26 percent less electricity than the OECD nations in 2004, total electricity production in the non-OECD region in 2030 is projected to exceed generation in the OECD by 30 per cent.
Total electricity demand in the non-OECD nations is expected to grow from 2004 to 2030 at an annual rate that is nearly triple the rate of growth for electricity demand in the OECD. The difference reflects the relative maturity of electricity infrastructure in the more developed OECD region, as well as the expectation that populations in the OECD countries generally will grow slowly or decline over the next 25 years. In addition, fast-paced growth in the developing non-OECD economies translates to rising standards of living and robust growth in consumer demand for lighting and appliances. Total electricity production in the non-OECD region increases by an average of 3.5 percent per year in the IEO2007 reference case, as compared with a projected annual growth rate for OECD electricity production that averages 1.3 per cent per year from 2004 to 2030. Among the energy end-use sectors, the most rapid growth in total world demand for electricity is projected for the buildings (residential and commercial) sectors.
Electricity Production involves t