How much electricity would it take?: Difference between revisions
(Created page with "When it comes to the goal of replacing all fossil fuels with electricity, it helps to have a quick reference for how much electricity we'd need to generate. ==Status quo, electrified== If we assume the world's consumption habits stay the same but all vehicles are electric, then here's a quick estimate: {{dp |<nowiki>car.fuel_economy</nowiki> |<nowiki>25.4 miles per gallon gasoline</nowiki> |<nowiki>Gas mileage of an average American ne...") |
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This wiki advocates for [[reduce energy demand|decreased energy consumption]] in rich ("developed") countries. But also, poorer countries might need to ''increase'' their energy use. So for lack of more detailed data, the status-quo based "quick estimate" provides a "middle of the road" sense of scale for the amount of renewables that might be needed to reach [[net zero]] carbon emissions. | This wiki advocates for [[reduce energy demand|decreased energy consumption]] in rich ("developed") countries. But also, poorer countries might need to ''increase'' their energy use. So for lack of more detailed data, the status-quo based "quick estimate" provides a "middle of the road" sense of scale for the amount of renewables that might be needed to reach [[net zero]] carbon emissions. | ||
</tab> | </tab> | ||
==See also== | |||
* [[Decarbonize the energy supply]] | |||
Latest revision as of 04:14, 8 November 2024
When it comes to the goal of replacing all fossil fuels with electricity, it helps to have a quick reference for how much electricity we'd need to generate.
Status quo, electrified
If we assume the world's consumption habits stay the same but all vehicles are electric, then here's a quick estimate:
car.fuel_economy
25.4 miles per gallon gasoline
Gas mileage of an average American new car
This datapoint is conformable with [electric_car.efficiency], because the calculator understands 'gallon gasoline' as an energy unit.
Citation:
"The average fuel economy for new 2020 model year cars, light trucks and SUVs in the United States was 25.4 miles per US gallon (9.3 L/100 km)."
- Fuel economy in automobiles - Wikipedia
Citation:
"The average fuel economy for new 2020 model year cars, light trucks and SUVs in the United States was 25.4 miles per US gallon (9.3 L/100 km)."
- Fuel economy in automobiles - Wikipedia
ev.efficiency
100 miles per 34.6 kWh
The "gas mileage" equivalent for an average electric car.
Average Electric Car kWh Per Mile [Results From 231 EVs]
ecocostsavings.com/average-electric-car-kwh-per-mile
Data originally from epa.gov/fueleconomy
ecocostsavings.com/average-electric-car-kwh-per-mile
Data originally from epa.gov/fueleconomy
world.population
8 billion
Number of people alive today, globally
https://www.unfpa.org/data/world-population-dashboard
Last updated in 2023
Last updated in 2023
oecd.population
1372683615
Number of people living in OECD countries
Population, total - World Bank Data
data.worldbank.org › indicator › SP.POP.TOTL
Using data from 2020
OECD countries are: Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.
data.worldbank.org › indicator › SP.POP.TOTL
Using data from 2020
OECD countries are: Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.
World average
total.status_quo
417.973 EJ/year
World energy usage, status quo, total final consumption
Note: Most of this is fossil fuel combustion, not electricity.
Cite:
International Energy Agency (IEA) - Key World Energy Statistics 2021 - Page 47 - Using data from 2019
transport.status_quo
120.972 EJ/year
(World) energy used by all types of transportation
International Energy Agency (IEA) - Key World Energy Statistics 2021 - Page 47 - Using data from 2019
transport.if_electric
transport.status_quo * car.fuel_economy / ev.efficiency
(World) how much energy might be used if all vehicles were electric
Estimated based on an energy efficiency ratio: typical gasoline car vs typical electric car. Assuming that the ratio would be about the same for larger vehicles.
- Does not factor in the charge/discharge energy losses in the battery.
- Does not factor in the energy needed to manufacture EVs (which might be higher than manufacturing combustion vehicles).
- Does not factor in the charge/discharge energy losses in the battery.
- Does not factor in the energy needed to manufacture EVs (which might be higher than manufacturing combustion vehicles).
(calculation loading) (calculation loading)
Developed countries
oecd.total.status_quo
158.590 EJ/year
Energy usage, total final consumption, OECD countries (most of which are developed countries)
Most of this is fossil fuel combustion, not electricity.
Cite:
International Energy Agency (IEA) - Key World Energy Statistics 2021 - Page 49 - Using data from 2019
oecd.transport.status_quo
53.737 EJ/year
Energy used by all types of transportation - OECD countries (most of which are developed countries)
International Energy Agency (IEA) - Key World Energy Statistics 2021 - Page 49 - Using data from 2019
oecd.transport.if_electric
transport.status_quo * car.fuel_economy / ev.efficiency
How much energy might be used if all vehicles were electric - OECD countries (most of which are developed countries)
Estimated based on an energy efficiency ratio: typical gasoline car vs typical electric car. Assuming that the ratio would be about the same for larger vehicles.
- Does not factor in the charge/discharge energy losses in the battery.
- Does not factor in the energy needed to manufacture EVs (which might be higher than manufacturing combustion vehicles).
- Does not factor in the charge/discharge energy losses in the battery.
- Does not factor in the energy needed to manufacture EVs (which might be higher than manufacturing combustion vehicles).
(calculation loading) (calculation loading)
- The estimate is based on status-quo total final energy consumption (which is mostly fossil fuels, currently).
- For the transportation sector, we factor in the increased energy-efficiency of electric vehicles (compared to gasoline & diesel).
- For everything else, we assume there's no significant increase in energy efficiency. Why:
- Industry sector: Most fossil fuel use is for producing heat in manufacturing. The efficiency would be the same for electricity as it would be for fuel.
- Buildings sector: Most fossil fuel use is for heating. While it's true that electric heat pumps could be more efficient, the majority of heating is in locations/seasons too cold for any efficiency gain for heat pumps.
- The
(watts per capita)refers to watts averaged over the whole year, or as some would say, "watts RMS". Not peak watts.
The estimate could be an overestimate if...
- increased heat pump usage, cold weather heat pump breakthrough
The estimate could be an underestimate if...
- energy storage losses become significant
FAQ: "Why base the estimate off of the status quo?"
This wiki advocates for decreased energy consumption in rich ("developed") countries. But also, poorer countries might need to increase their energy use. So for lack of more detailed data, the status-quo based "quick estimate" provides a "middle of the road" sense of scale for the amount of renewables that might be needed to reach net zero carbon emissions.