When Were Fossil Fuels First Used

For nearly of human being history our ancestors relied on very basic forms of energy: human muscle, animal muscle and the burning of biomass such every bit woods or crops. But the Industrial Revolution unlocked a whole new energy resource: fossil fuels. Fossil energy has been a key driver of the technological, social, economic and evolution progress which has followed.

Fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) have, and continue to, play a ascendant function in global energy systems.

But they also come with several negative impacts. When burned they produce carbon dioxide (CO₂) and are the largest driver of global climatic change. They are likewise a major contributor to local air pollution, which is estimated to linked to millions of premature deaths each year.

Equally low-carbon sources of energy – nuclear and renewables – become readily available, the world needs to rapidly transition away from fossil fuels.

This article presents the long-run and recent perspectives on coal, oil and gas – how much countries produce and consume; where our fossil fuel reserves are; and what role the fuels play in our energy and electricity systems.

All our charts on Fossil Fuels

Global fossil fuel consumption

The burning of fossil fuels for energy began around the onset of the Industrial Revolution. But fossil fuel consumption has changed significantly over the by few centuries – both in terms of what and how much we fire.

In the interactive chart nosotros come across global fossil fuel consumption broken downwards by coal, oil and gas since 1800. Earlier data, pre-1965, is sourced from Vaclav Smil's work on energy transitions; this has been combined with data published in BP's Statistical Review of World Energy from 1965 onwards.^ane

Fossil fuel consumption has increased significantly over the past half-century, effectually eight-fold since 1950, and roughly doubling since 1980.

Simply the types of fuel nosotros rely on has too shifted, from solely coal towards a combination with oil, then gas. Today, coal consumption is falling in many parts of the world. Only oil and gas are still growing chop-chop.

Fossil fuel consumption: which countries use the most free energy from fossil fuels?

We've looked at how much fossil fuel energy is consumed globally. Only what about countries? How much fossil energy exercise they consume?

The interactive chart here shows the corporeality of primary free energy from fossil fuels that is consumed each yr.

This is the sum of energy from coal, oil and gas. In the sections below we wait at each of these sources individually.

Iii tips on how to interact with this map

Past clicking on whatever country on the map yous meet the change over time in this state.
By moving the time slider (below the map) you lot tin can encounter how the global situation has inverse over time.
You tin focus on a detail world region using the dropdown carte du jour to the top-correct of the map.

Per capita: where practise people consume the most energy from fossil fuels?

Looking at energy consumption at the country level is often a strong reflection of population size rather than actual fossil fuel consumption per person.

How do these comparisons expect when we suit for population?

In the interactive nautical chart nosotros encounter the amount of energy from fossil fuels consumed per person. This is the sum of master free energy from coal, oil and gas combined.

Beyond the world we see that the largest consumers use more than ten times the corporeality of fossil energy than some of the smallest consumers.

Four tips on how yous can interact with this chart

Modify the bar nautical chart into a line chart: by clicking on the timeline at the lesser of the chart you lot can modify the bar chart into a line chart.
See the change over time: Using the 'play' push button on the timeline you tin see how this metric changes over time.
Add any other land: click on the Add country button to compare with whatsoever other country.
Run into the information on a world map: click on the 'MAP' tab to come across the global overview beyond countries.

Fossil fuel consumption by blazon

In the sections above nosotros looked at the consumption of fossil fuels collectively. Merely it'due south important to wait at the role of coal, oil and gas individually – their impacts are not equal. Coal, for example, typically produces more CO_ii and local air pollution per unit of energy [meet our commodity on the relative safe and impacts of different free energy sources].

In the interactive charts here we fossil fuel consumption disaggregated past type. This is shown every bit a stacked area chart – useful for seeing the relative contribution of each; just also as a line chart which allows us to see how the consumption of each is changing over time.

How you can interact with the stacked area chart

In these charts information technology is e'er possible to switch to whatsoever other state in the globe past choosing Change Country in the bottom left corner.
By unticking the 'Relative' box, yous can switch to see the breakdown of emissions in accented terms.

How do fossil fuels fit in within the rest of the energy mix? What share of main energy comes from fossil fuels?

In 2019, effectually 84% of global master energy came from coal, oil and gas. Over the coming decades nosotros need to rapidly reduce this share by displacing them with low-carbon energy sources.

In the interactive chart we see how this share varies across the world.

A few points to keep in listen when considering this data:

These figures reflect energy consumption – that is the sum of all energy uses including electricity, ship and heating. Many people assume energy and electricity to hateful the same, but electricity is just one component of total energy consumption. We await at electricity consumption later in this profile.
These figures are based on primary energy consumption – given by the 'substitution method'. You tin can read our explainer on the dissimilar metrics used to measure out energy here.

Two tips on how you tin interact with this chart

View the data for any country as a line chart: click on any state to run across its change over time, or by using the 'CHART' tab at the lesser.
Add any other country to the line chart: click on the Add together country push to compare with any other state.

Electricity is one component of full free energy consumption – the other two being transport and heating.

Globally, fossil fuels business relationship for a much smaller share of electricity production than the energy arrangement as a whole. In 2019, effectually 64% of our electricity came from fossil fuels.

This interactive map shows the share of electricity that comes from fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas summed together) across the globe. Oil accounts for only a small share of electricity production – most come from coal and gas. The share from coal and gas individually can be establish in the sections beneath.

Coal production: how much do countries produce?

Which countries produce the nigh coal? How has this inverse over fourth dimension?

In the interactive chart hither we encounter coal production by land. This has been converted into chief free energy equivalents (i.e. terawatt-hours of energy) for comparability beyond our other data on free energy.

Note that this measures coal production, not consumption. Many countries consume energy from coal in their energy supply. But non all countries have coal reserves to produce this themselves. This therefore measures coal production earlier trade between countries.

Energy from coal: how much do countries consume?

Fossil fuel product is an important metric to follow – it helps us understand where fossil fuels are being extracted. But we also care about where that energy is being consumed – that tells us what role fossil fuels are playing in the free energy arrangement of each country.

This interactive nautical chart shows principal free energy consumption from coal across the world. This represents coal production adapted for trade (so, coal exports are subtracted and imports are added).

Coal has been a critical free energy sources, and mainstay in global energy production for centuries.

But it's also the about polluting energy source: both in terms of the amount of CO_two it produces per unit of energy, simply also the corporeality of local air pollution it creates. Moving away from coal energy is important for climate modify every bit well as human health.

This interactive map shows the share of master free energy that comes from coal across the world.

Coal is currently the largest source of electricity globally. For many countries remains the dominant source. Simply, nosotros also meet that others have seen a massive shift abroad from coal in recent years – the UK is ane such example.

This interactive map shows the share of electricity that comes from coal across the world.

When do countries plan to phase out coal?

Coal is the earth's oldest industrial source of energy. Information technology is still a ascendant source of energy across the globe today – especially within our electricity mix.

But coal is the world'due south dirtiest fuel – it not only emits the near carbon dioxide emissions per unit of energy, information technology has severe impacts on health through air pollution.

Many countries are therefore committing to phasing coal power out of their electricity mix. This map shows state pledges to reach this. Some countries are already coal-complimentary. Some take set to phase it out by 2030; 2040 or later. Some accept not even so committed to eliminating information technology.²

Oil production: how much practise countries produce?

Which countries produce the most oil? How has this changed over fourth dimension?

In the interactive chart here we see oil production past country. This has been converted into chief energy equivalents (i.e. terawatt-hours of energy) for comparability beyond our other information on energy.

Note that this measures oil product, not consumption. Many countries consume energy from oil in their free energy supply. Simply not all countries have oil reserves to produce this themselves. This therefore measures oil product earlier merchandise between countries.

Energy from oil: how much do countries eat?

Oil production is an of import indicator to follow – it helps us empathize where it'southward being extracted, who the master oil producers are, and how this related to oil reserves. Merely we also care about where that oil is being consumed – that tells u.s.a. what part information technology's playing in the energy system of each country.

This interactive chart shows primary free energy consumption from oil across the world. This represents oil production adjusted for trade (so, oil exports are subtracted and imports are added).

Oil is the world's largest energy source today. It is the dominant source of energy for the transport sector in particular.

This interactive map shows the share of primary energy that comes from oil across the world.

Gas production: how much practise countries produce?

Which countries produce the most gas? How has this changed over time?

In the interactive nautical chart here nosotros run into gas production by country. This has been converted into principal free energy equivalents (i.e. terawatt-hours of energy) for comparability across our other information on energy.

Note that this measures gas production, non consumption. Many countries consume energy from gas in their energy supply. But not all countries have gas reserves to produce this themselves. This therefore measures gas product before trade between countries.

Free energy from gas: how much do countries eat?

In the department to a higher place nosotros looked at where in the world gas is produced. But, afterwards trade, where in the globe is gas consumed?

This interactive nautical chart shows principal energy consumption from gas across the world. This represents gas production adjusted for merchandise (so, gas exports are subtracted and imports are added).

Natural gas has, for decades, lagged behind coal and oil as an energy source. But today its consumption is growing apace – often as a replacement for coal in the energy mix. Gas is a major provider of electricity production, and a key source of oestrus.

This interactive map shows the share of primary energy that comes from gas across the world.

Gas is now the second largest source of electricity product globally.

Its contribution is growing quickly in many countries as they substitute it for coal in the electricity mix. From a climate perspective, this transition is positive since gas typically emits less CO₂ per unit of energy. But, we still ultimately desire to shift away from gas towards low-carbon sources such as renewables and nuclear.

Gas is now the second largest source of electricity production globally.

Its contribution is growing quickly in many countries equally they substitute information technology for coal in the electricity mix. From a climate perspective, this transition is positive since gas typically emits less CO_ii per unit of energy. But, we still ultimately desire to shift abroad from gas towards low-carbon sources such equally renewables and nuclear.

This interactive map shows the share of electricity that comes from gas across the globe.

This interactive map shows the share of electricity that comes from gas across the world.

Fossil fuel reserves

Coal reserves
Gas reserves

Coal reserves

In previous sections we looked at how much fossil fuels different countries produced or consumed. But where in the world does our existing reserves of fossil fuels remain?

Which countries have the potential to extract and sell them?

In the interactive chart we run into proved coal reserves across the world.

It'southward important to distinguish reserves versus resources here. "Proved reserves" represents coal that nosotros know with reasonable certainty could exist recovered in the future under existing economic and technological operating weather. In other words, we know information technology'due south there and it would exist technologically and economically feasibly to extract it.

Reserves represent only some fraction of resources, nonetheless; we continue to discover new quantities of coal, and with time more becomes technologically viable to extract. This means our quantity of reserves changes all the fourth dimension – not only based on how much nosotros consume, but by how much new resources are 'unlocked'.

We await at the difference between reserves and resource in more detail here.

Gas reserves

Where in the world do we have gas reserves? Which countries have the ability to excerpt, consume and trade?

In the interactive chart we see proved gas reserves across the earth.

It'south important to distinguish reserves versus resources here. "Proved reserves" represents coal that we know with reasonable certainty could exist recovered in the futurity nether existing economic and technological operating conditions. In other words, we know it'south at that place and it would exist technologically and economically feasibly to extract it.

Reserves represent only some fraction of resources, withal; we continue to discover new quantities of gas, and with fourth dimension more becomes technologically feasible to excerpt. This means our quantity of reserves changes all the time – not only based on how much we consume, but by how much new resources are 'unlocked'.

We look at the deviation between reserves and resources in more particular here.

CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels

Three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions come from energy product. To stand a take a chance of coming together our climate change targets, nosotros must chop-chop reduce CO_two emissions from fossil fuels.

Explore our related piece of work on CO₂ emissions – where they come from and how they are changing over time.

Definitions & Measurement

Reserves vs. Resources: When does a resource become a reserve?

The terms 'reserves' and 'resources' are often used interchangeably. Still, at that place is an important distinction between the ii. The chart explains this distinction visually.

It is truthful that every reserve is a resource, but non every resource is a reserve. There are 2 requirements which decide whether a mineral resources becomes a reserve. The first is the degree of certainty that information technology exists: the planet likely has many mineral resources which we take non yet discovered. So to be defined as a reserve, we must have either a proved, probable or possible understanding of its existence. The 2nd criteria relates to the economic feasibility of being able to access and extract the mineral resources. To be defined as a reserve, it must be economically and technologically viable to recover. If the economic science are subeconomic (i.east. would result in a net loss) or marginal, a mineral resource is not defined equally a reserve.

Whilst the original source of this concept – the American geologist Vincent McKelvey – visualised it as a static box, this transition between resources and reserve classifications is dynamic. As we observe previously unknown resources, and develop improved extraction technologies for economic recovery, this reserves box can grow with time (or shrink as nosotros eat them).

Units of energy

To maintain consistency between metrics and sources, we have attempted to normalise all energy data to units of watt-hours (Wh), or ane of its SI prefixes. The table shows the conversion of watt-hours to the range of SI prefixes used.

SI Unit of measurement	Watt-hour (Wh) equivalent
Watt-hour (Wh)	–
Kilowatt-60 minutes (kWh)	One one thousand watt-hours (10³ Wh)
Megawatt-hour (MWh)	One million watt-hours (ten⁶ Wh)
Gigawatt-hour (GWh)	One billion watt-hours (10⁹ Wh)
Terawatt-hour (TWh)	I trillion watt-hours (10¹² Wh)

Information Sources

BP Statistical Review of World Energy

Information: BP publishes data on Oil, Gas Coal, Nuclear Energy, Hydroelectricity, Renewables, Primary Energy Consumption, Electricity Generation, Carbon Doixide Emissions
Geographical coverage: Global – by country and region
Fourth dimension bridge: Annual information since 1951
Available at: Online at www.BP.com

The Shift Project (TSP)

Data: Historical Energy Consumption Statistics and Historical Energy Product Statistics
Geographical coverage: Global – by country and earth region
Time span: Since 1900
Available at: Both datasets are online at www.tsp-data-portal.org.

IEA – International Free energy Agency

Data: Data on electricity, oil, gas, coal and renewables. Information on CO2 emissions (likewise projections)
Geographical coverage: Global – past country
Fourth dimension span: Concluding decades
Available at: Online at www.iea.org
The IEA is publishing the Globe Energy Outlook.
Yous have to pay to admission the IEA databases. But some data is bachelor through Gapminder, for example Residential Energy utilisation (%). (for few countries since 1960, for more than countries since 1971 or 1981)

Free energy Data Administration

Data: Full and rough oil production, oil consumption, natural gas production and consumption, coal product and consumption, electricity generation and consumption, primary energy, energy intensity, CO2 emissions and imports and exports for all fuels
Geographical coverage: Global – past land
Time span: Almanac information since 1980
Available at: Online at ww.eia.gov
Eia is a United states of america regime bureau.

Globe Development Indicators – World Bank

Geographical coverage: Global – by state and earth region
Fourth dimension bridge: Terminal decades
Data: Energy use (kt of oil equivalent) – Energy use (kg of oil equivalent per capita) – Free energy production (kt of oil equivalent)
Many more related indicators.

Eurostat

Data: Product & consumption of free energy.
Geographical coverage: Europe
Fourth dimension span:
Information on: Free energy production and imports – Consumption of free energy – Electricity production, consumption and markets.

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