BP report moves China to top as world’s largest energy consuming country

The Statistical Review of World Energy published by BP lists China as the world’s largest energy consumer in 2010, followed by the United States. China consumed 20.3% of total global energy demand, up by 11.2% from 2009, while the United States ranked second with 19%. However, the United States ranked first in terms of oil consumption, at 21% of total global demand. The review said, “All forms of energy grew strongly (last year) with growth in fossil fuels suggesting that global CO2 emissions from energy use grew at the fastest rate since 1969.” Renewable power generation grew by 15.5%, driven by robust growth in wind energy, which was up 22.7%. “The increase in wind energy in turn was driven by China and the U.S., which together accounted for nearly 70% of global growth,” the report said. (June 9,2011)