Electricity's rising share of industrial energy
Electricity made up about 23% of global industrial energy use in 2022, up from roughly 19% in 2010. Industry is steadily electrifying — a slow but consistent shift that ties more of its energy cost, and its carbon footprint, to the power grid.
Source: IEA — Energy efficiency and industry analysis (2022)
What it means
As industry electrifies, two things follow: electricity bills become a larger share of the energy budget, and a plant's carbon intensity increasingly tracks the grid's. That makes both motor-system efficiency and the timing of electricity use — demand management — more valuable every year.
Context
Heavy industry has historically run on fuel — coal, gas, oil for heat and steam. The gradual rise of electricity's share reflects electrification of process heat, more electric drives, and the early stages of decarbonisation. The shift is unspectacular year to year but cumulative, and it changes where the financial and carbon leverage in a plant sits.
How to interpret this data
About the source: This data comes from IEA. Public datasets like this are the foundation of fact-based decision-making in industry. When you see these numbers cited in vendor proposals or consultant reports, remember: the raw data is freely available, and the value is in how you interpret it for your specific plant and situation.
Where this matters: How to reduce industrial energy costs are built on insights like the data shown here. Rather than treat data in isolation, read the deeper guides to see how these trends translate into actionable levers for your plant.
Sector relevance: This dataset is especially relevant to Chemicals, Food Processing. These sectors face the trends and challenges you see in this chart daily — energy cost pressure, the push for decarbonization, adoption of AI and predictive maintenance. Use this data to benchmark your plant against the industry average and identify where you lag or lead.
How to use this data: Take the headline number but look deeper at the chart. Is it growing or shrinking? Which segments or regions drive the trend? Does your plant's data align, or are you an outlier? Outliers are often where the best opportunities hide — either an efficiency gap you can exploit, or a leading practice you can copy.
Related charts
Where industrial electricity goes
How fast global electricity demand is growing
Renewables' share of global electricity
Related topics
How to Reduce Industrial Energy Costs: Practical Quick Wins · Demand Response · Net Zero · Specific Energy Consumption (SEC)
Relevant to: Chemicals · Food Processing · Steel & Metals