Global data from 2025 shows that the world has officially moved into a new era where electricity is the primary driver of energy growth. According to the authors of the newly released report, electricity consumption is now expanding at more than twice the speed of overall energy demand, marking a fundamental shift in how the planet is powered.
The report explicitly states that “Demand for electricity grew at well over twice the rate of energy demand, reaffirming that the world has entered the Age of Electricity.” It further notes that “2025 data confirm the arrival of the Age of Electricity” as global power needs surged while other energy sources lagged.
In simple terms, this means that most of the new energy humans are using is coming in the form of electricity rather than traditional fuels like oil or coal. While older fuels are still used for many things, the growth in our energy systems is now dominated by electric power, largely because of the rapid adoption of electric cars and the massive power needs of computer data centers. This trend is being supported by a record-breaking expansion of clean energy sources like solar power, which are now meeting the vast majority of this new demand.
The report “Global Energy Review 2026” was published by the International Energy Agency in France in April 2026. Prepared by the IEA’s Energy Modelling Office under the direction of Laura Cozzi, the comprehensive study was led by authors Alex Martinos and Thomas Spencer.
