..  

The Global Energy Review 2025 from the International Energy Agency (IEA) paints a clear picture: the world’s appetite for energy continues to grow, and fast. In 2024, global energy demand surged at a rate above the decade-long average, driven by increased consumption across nearly all sectors—transport, industry, buildings, and especially the power sector.

One key figure stands out: global electricity consumption rose by nearly 1,100 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2024—more than double the average annual growth of the previous ten years.

Behind this surge are familiar forces:

• more intense cooling needs due to heatwaves,
• expanding industrial activity,
• the rapid electrification of transport,
• and the rising energy footprint of data centres and AI infrastructure.

Buildings and Industry: Driving the Energy Surge

The buildings sector led the charge, with electricity demand growing four times faster than in 2023.

More than 600 TWh—or roughly 5%—of additional electricity was consumed in buildings alone.

Severe heat events accelerated the need for air conditioning, while new data centres added further strain to the grid.

Meanwhile, the industrial sector wasn’t far behind, accounting for nearly 40% of total electricity demand growth. A nearly 4% increase in electricity use was observed, fuelled by a rebound in electro-intensive manufacturing and broader industrial activity.

While the good news is that most of this increased demand was met by low-emissions sources like solar PV, wind, and nuclear, the report also highlights concerning trends—particularly the slowdown in energy efficiency.

Energy Efficiency: A Missed Opportunity

The IEA notes that improvements in primary energy intensity—a key measure of how efficiently energy is used in the economy—have slowed to around 1% in 2024, down from the 2% annual gains seen between 2010 and 2019.

This slowdown is no small detail. When energy efficiency stalls, demand for carbon-intensive fuels often rises to fill the gap. Factors contributing to this trend include:

• Energy-intensive industrial recoveries in China, India, and other emerging markets
• Increased use of coal in response to low hydropower output
• Higher energy consumption driven by extreme temperatures

The Case for Energy Monitoring and Management

So, what can be done?

While macroeconomic and environmental trends may be outside of an individual company’s control, energy efficiency is not. This is where energy monitoring and management systems—such as those developed by Electrex—come into play.

Electrex solutions enable companies to:

• Track and optimize energy usage in real time across buildings, production lines, and entire facilities
• Monitor both energy purchased from the grid and energy produced on-site, such as from PV systems
• Identify energy waste and areas for process improvement
• Improve overall system efficiency with integrated controls and automation
• Support compliance with energy efficiency regulations and corporate sustainability goals

In a context where demand is rising, efficiency gains are slowing, and climate pressures are intensifying, having a clear, data-driven understanding of how energy is used—and how it can be better managed—is not just valuable. It’s essential.

Conclusion

The Global Energy Review 2025 sends a clear message: we are entering an era of higher energy demand, driven by technological advancement, climate change, and economic development.

To thrive in this new energy landscape, organizations must become more energy-intelligent. And that starts with visibility—knowing where, when, and how energy is being used.

At Electrex, we believe that you can’t manage what you don’t measure. That’s why we continue to develop cutting-edge solutions to help industries, utilities, and buildings not only monitor their energy usage but transform it into measurable efficiency gains.

If you’re ready to turn the insights of the Global Energy Review into actionable strategies, we’re here to help.

Contact me to schedule a call! I will be glad to answer any questions you may have.

About us

Since 1993 Electrex designs, develops, manufactures and markets, Made in Italy, instruments and software for energy  management and control.

The Electrex solutions are used in the Energy Efficiency and Energy Automation applications, for the industrial, commercial, public, civil, and renewable energy sectors allowing a rapid return on investment.

The solutions provided up to now allow the management of over 530,000 measuring points and more than 960,000 points are controlled via Energy Automation applications.

Electrex, one of the first companies to operate in these sectors, has acquired over the years a considerable experience and competence that few other companies can claim to have. With over 40% of the staff dedicated to R & D, we demonstrate our strong commitment to innovation and continuous improvement in order to anticipate the needs of our customers.