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By Bruno Venditti | Graphics/Design: Sam Parker
Key Takeaways
- China accounts for one-third of global electricity demand, a dramatic rise from under 10% in the early 2000s
- North American countries lead in per capita electricity use among the top consumers due to large homes, climate, and energy-intensive lifestyles
Electricity demand reflects both economic activity and living standards. This chart compares the world’s largest electricity consumers, as well as their usage per capita.
The data for this visualization comes from Ember. It highlights total electricity demand by country in terawatt-hours (TWh), alongside per capita usage in megawatt-hours (MWh) for 2025.
China’s Rapid Rise in Global Electricity Demand
China is by far the world’s largest electricity consumer, reaching 10,573 TWh in 2025. This represents about 33% of global demand, up sharply from less than 10% in the early 2000s.
The surge reflects rapid industrialization, urbanization, and the expansion of manufacturing sectors. As China continues to electrify its economy, its share of global demand is likely to remain dominant.
North America Leads in Per Capita Usage
While China leads in total demand, Canada and the United States top the ranking in electricity use per person.
Canada consumes 16.1 MWh per capita, followed by the U.S. at 13.1 MWh. Factors like larger homes, colder climates, and higher appliance usage contribute to elevated consumption.
Economic Powerhouses Drive Global Consumption
Many of the world’s largest economies also rank among the top electricity consumers.
Eight of the top power users—including China, the U.S., India, Japan, and Germany—are among the world’s 10 largest economies.
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