Energy
Mapped: The 1.2 Billion People Without Access to Electricity
For anyone reading this article, the benefits of electricity need not be explained.
Access to electricity is now an afterthought in most parts of the world, so it may come as a surprise to learn that 16% of the world’s population — an estimated 1.2 billion people — are still living without this basic necessity. Lack of access to electricity, or “energy poverty”, is the ultimate economic hindrance as it prevents people from participating in the modern economy.
Where are people still living in the dark, and how are these energy challenges being addressed? Let’s dive in.
Where the Grid Reaches, and Beyond
At this point in time, a majority of countries have 100% electricity access rates, and many more have rates above 95%. This includes most of the world’s high-population countries, such as China, Brazil, and the United States.
India is fast approaching that benchmark for access. The massive country has made great strides in a short amount of time, jumping from a 70% to 93% access rate in a single decade.
Meanwhile, North Korea is an obvious outlier in East Asia. The Hermit Kingdom’s lack of electrification isn’t just conspicuous in the data — it’s even visible from space. The border between the two Koreas is clearly visible where the dark expanse of North Korea runs up against the glow of South Korea’s urban areas.
It’s been estimated that more than half of North Korea’s people are living in energy poverty.
Africa’s Access to Electricity
In 1995, a mere 20% of sub-Saharan Africa’s population had access to power. While today’s figure is above 40%, that still means roughly 600 million people in the region are living without access to electricity.
Not surprisingly, energy poverty disproportionately impacts rural Africans. Nearly all of the countries with the lowest levels of electricity access have rural-majority populations:
Global Rank | Country | Electricity Access | Rural Population |
---|---|---|---|
#197 | 🇧🇮 Burundi | 9% | 87% |
#196 | 🇹🇩 Chad | 11% | 77% |
#195 | 🇲🇼 Malawi | 13% | 83% |
#194 | 🇨🇩 D.R.C. | 19% | 56% |
#193 | 🇳🇪 Niger | 20% | 84% |
#192 | 🇱🇷 Liberia | 21% | 49% |
#191 | 🇺🇬 Uganda | 22% | 77% |
#190 | 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | 23% | 58% |
#189 | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | 24% | 63% |
#188 | 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | 25% | 71% |
Nonexistent and unreliable electricity isn’t just an issue confined to rural Africa. Even Nigeria — Africa’s largest economy — has an electrification rate of just 54%.
Where there is an electrical grid, instability is also causing problems. A recent survey found that a majority of Nigerian tech firms face 30 or more power outages per month, and more than half ranked electricity as a “major” or “severe” constraint to doing business.
This is pattern that is repeated in a number of countries in Africa:
Mini-Grids, Big Impact
It has taken an average of 25 years for countries to move from 20% to 80% access, so history suggests that it may be a number of years before sub-Saharan Africa fully catches up with other parts of the world. That said, Vietnam was able to close that gap in only nine years.
Traditional utility companies continue to make inroads in the region, but it might be a smaller-scale solution that brings electricity to people in harder-to-reach rural villages.
Between 2009 and 2015, solar PV module prices fell by 80%, ushering in a new era of affordability. Solar powered mini-grids don’t just have the potential to bring electricity to new markets, it can also replace the diesel-powered generators commonly used in Africa.
For the 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa who are still unable to fully participate in the modern world, these innovations can’t come soon enough.
Energy
Visualizing the New Era of Energy
This infographic explores the exponential growth of the technologies that are shaping the new era of energy.


The New Era of Energy
Energy is the pulse of our daily lives, powering everything from our homes to our cars and electronic gadgets.
Over the last two decades, there’s been an ongoing shift in how we produce and consume energy, largely due to rising climate awareness among both governments and consumers.
The above infographic from Surge Battery Metals highlights the increasing uptake of clean energy technologies and explains the need for the raw materials that power them. This is part two of three infographics in the Energy Independence Series.
The Growth of Clean Energy
Government policies, falling production costs, and climate consciousness have all contributed to the exponential adoption of green energy technologies.
For example, only a few countries were actively encouraging EV adoption a decade ago, but today, millions of consumers can take advantage of EV tax concessions and purchase subsidies with governments committed to phasing out internal combustion engines. Partly as a result, electric vehicles (EVs) are well on their way to mainstream adoption.
Here’s a look at how the number of electric cars on the road has grown since 2011, including both battery EVs and plug-in hybrids:
Country/Region | 2011 Electric Car Stock | 2021 Electric Car Stock |
---|---|---|
China | 10,000 | 7,800,000 |
Europe | 20,000 | 5,500,000 |
U.S. | 20,000 | 2,000,000 |
Other | 20,000 | 1,100,000 |
Total | 70,000 | 16,400,000 |
In 2021, the global electric car stock stood at around 16.4 million cars, up by around 60% from 2020. EV sales also more than doubled to reach 6.8 million units.
Alongside electric cars, renewable energy technologies are also on the road to dominating the global energy mix. In 2021, renewables accounted for 16% of global energy consumption—up from just 8% in 2000. This growth is largely down to solar and wind energy, which made up the majority of new renewable capacity additions:
Year | Net Renewable Capacity Additions (gigawatts) | Solar PV % Share | Wind % Share |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | 109.4 | 28% | 36% |
2012 | 116.4 | 25% | 40% |
2013 | 122.9 | 30% | 27% |
2014 | 135.1 | 30% | 37% |
2015 | 159.7 | 31% | 42% |
2016 | 171.3 | 44% | 30% |
2017 | 174.8 | 55% | 27% |
2018 | 179.3 | 54% | 28% |
2019 | 193.8 | 56% | 31% |
2020 | 280.2 | 48% | 40% |
2021 | 288.9 | 54% | 31% |
Every year since 2018, solar and wind have accounted for more than 80% of new renewable capacity additions, contributing to the record-breaking growth of clean energy.
Despite this growth, the IEA projects that both EVs and renewables need to expand their reach significantly if the world is to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Electric car sales need to hit 56 million units by 2030—more than eight times the 6.6 million cars sold in 2021. Similarly, solar PV and wind additions need to quadruple by 2030 from 2021 levels.
This new era of clean energy will require an increase in the supply of EVs, solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries, which translates into more demand for the unnoticed raw materials behind these technologies.
The Metals Behind Clean Energy
From copper in cables to lithium in batteries, some metals are key to building and growing clean energy capacity.
In fact, for every megawatt of capacity, solar photovoltaic farms use more than 2,800 kg of copper according to the IEA. Offshore wind farms, which are connected to land by massive undersea cables, use even more copper at 8,000 kg per megawatt. Similarly, electric cars use lithium-ion batteries, which are composed of a variety of minerals, including graphite, copper, nickel, and lithium.
While the demand for these clean energy minerals is skyrocketing, their supply remains a concern, with China dominating the supply chains. In the new era of energy, domestic supplies of these materials will be key to ensuring energy independence and lower reliance on foreign imports.
In the next part of the Energy Independence Series sponsored by Surge Battery Metals, we will explore how the U.S. can build an Energy-Independent Future by developing domestic raw material and battery supply chains.

-
Misc3 days ago
Brand Loyalty is Declining for Most Luxury Automakers
Brand loyalty has declined for most luxury automakers, but three brands—Tesla, Maserati, and Genesis—appear to have bucked the trend.
-
Demographics4 days ago
Ranked: The Most and Least Livable Cities in 2022
Which cities rank as the best places to live worldwide? This map reveals the world’s most and least livable cities.
-
Markets5 days ago
Visualizing Major Layoffs At U.S. Corporations
This infographic highlights the accelerating pace of layoffs so far in 2022, as businesses cut costs ahead of a potential recession.
-
Energy6 days ago
Visualizing 10 Years of Global EV Sales by Country
Global EV sales have grown exponentially, more than doubling in 2021 to 6.8 million units. Here’s a look at EV sales by country since 2011.
-
Science1 week ago
Visualizing the Relationship Between Cancer and Lifespan
New research links mutation rates and lifespan. We visualize the data supporting this new framework for understanding cancer.
-
Energy1 week ago
Which Countries Produce the Most Natural Gas?
Natural gas prices have risen since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This visualization highlights the world’s largest natural gas producers.
Energy
Visualizing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Sector
The U.S. emits about 6 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases a year. Here’s how these emissions rank by sector.


Visualizing U.S. Emissions by Sector
Decarbonization efforts in the U.S. are ramping up, and in 2020, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were lower than at any point during the previous 30 years.
However there’s still work to be done before various organizations, states, and nationwide targets are met. And when looking at GHG emissions by sector, the data suggests that some groups have more work cut out for them than others.
This graphic from the National Public Utilities Council provides the key data and trends on the total emissions by U.S. sector since 1990.
The Highest Emitting Sectors
Collectively, the U.S. emitted 5,981 million metric tons (MMT) of CO2-equivalent (CO2e) emissions in 2020, which rose 6.1% in 2021.
Here’s how the various sectors in the U.S. compare.
Sector | 2020 GHG emissions, MMT CO2e | Percentage of Total |
---|---|---|
Transportation | 1,627.6 | 27% |
Electricity generation | 1,482.6 | 25% |
Industry | 1,426.2 | 24% |
Agriculture | 635.1 | 11% |
Commercial | 425.3 | 7% |
Residential | 362.0 | 6% |
U.S. territories | 23.0 | <1% |
The transportation sector ranks highest by emissions and has been notably impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is still affecting travel and supply chains. This has led to whipsawing figures during the last two years.
For instance, in 2020, the transportation sector’s emissions fell 15%, the steepest fall of any sector. But the largest increase in emissions in 2021 also came from transportation, which is largely credited to the economic and tourism recovery last year.
Following transportation, electricity generation accounted for a quarter of U.S. GHG emissions in 2020, with fossil fuel combustion making up nearly 99% of the sector’s emissions. The other 1% includes waste incineration and other power generation technologies like renewables and nuclear power, which produce emissions during the initial stages of raw material extraction and construction.
Decarbonizing the Power Sector
The Biden Administration has set a goal to make the U.S. power grid run on 100% clean energy by 2035—a key factor in achieving the country’s goal of net zero emissions by 2050.
Industrial factories, commercial buildings, and homes all consume electricity to power their machinery and appliances. Therefore, the power sector can help reduce their carbon footprint by supplying more clean electricity, although this largely depends on the availability of infrastructure for transmission.
Here’s how sectors would look if their respective electricity end-use is taken into account
Sector | Emissions by Sector % of Total |
---|---|
Agriculture | 11% |
Transportation | 27% |
Industry | 30% |
Residential & Commercial | 30% |
Percentages may not add up to 100% due to independent rounding
With these adjustments, the industrial, commercial, and residential sectors experience a notable jump, and lead ahead of other categories
Today, the bulk of electricity generation, 60%, comes from natural gas and coal-fired power plants, with nuclear, renewables, and other sources making up 40% of the total.
Energy Source | 2020 Electric generation, billion kWh | Share of total |
---|---|---|
Natural Gas | 1,575 | 38.3% |
Coal | 899 | 21.8% |
Nuclear | 778 | 18.9% |
Wind | 380 | 9.2% |
Hydropower | 260 | 6.3% |
However, progress and notable strides have been made towards sustainable energy. In 2021, renewables accounted for one-fifth of U.S. electricity generation, roughly doubling their share since 2010.
Coal’s share as a source of electric power has dropped dramatically in recent years. And partially as a result, electricity generation has seen its portion of emissions successfully decrease by 21% , with overall emissions falling from 1,880 million metric tons of CO2 to 1,482 million metric tons.
How Utilities Can Lead the Way
Should these trends persist, the electricity generation sector has a chance to play a pivotal role in the broader decarbonization initiative. And with the bulk of electricity generation in the U.S. coming from investor-owned utilities (IOUs), this is a unique opportunity for IOUs to lead the transition toward cleaner energy.
The National Public Utilities Council is the go-to resource to learn how utilities can lead in the path towards decarbonization.

-
Misc3 days ago
Brand Loyalty is Declining for Most Luxury Automakers
Brand loyalty has declined for most luxury automakers, but three brands—Tesla, Maserati, and Genesis—appear to have bucked the trend.
-
Demographics4 days ago
Ranked: The Most and Least Livable Cities in 2022
Which cities rank as the best places to live worldwide? This map reveals the world’s most and least livable cities.
-
Markets5 days ago
Visualizing Major Layoffs At U.S. Corporations
This infographic highlights the accelerating pace of layoffs so far in 2022, as businesses cut costs ahead of a potential recession.
-
Energy6 days ago
Visualizing 10 Years of Global EV Sales by Country
Global EV sales have grown exponentially, more than doubling in 2021 to 6.8 million units. Here’s a look at EV sales by country since 2011.
-
Science1 week ago
Visualizing the Relationship Between Cancer and Lifespan
New research links mutation rates and lifespan. We visualize the data supporting this new framework for understanding cancer.
-
Energy1 week ago
Which Countries Produce the Most Natural Gas?
Natural gas prices have risen since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This visualization highlights the world’s largest natural gas producers.
-
Misc1 week ago
Visualizing Which Countries Drink the Most Beer
-
Demographics4 weeks ago
Ranked: The 20 Countries With the Fastest Declining Populations
-
Energy3 weeks ago
Visualizing the World’s Largest Oil Producers
-
Personal Finance2 weeks ago
Mapped: The Salary You Need to Buy a Home in 50 U.S. Cities
-
Energy1 week ago
Which Countries Produce the Most Natural Gas?
-
Agriculture3 weeks ago
Timeline: The Domestication of Animals
-
Business3 weeks ago
Ranked: The World’s Largest Container Shipping Companies
-
Energy4 weeks ago
Visualized: Battery Vs. Hydrogen Fuel Cell