Acording to the 2011 Global Energy Statistical Yearbook, world energy consumption soared by 5.5 percent in 2010, after a slight decrease in 2009, to 4.5 percent above its pre-crisis level. China reinforced its position as the world's largest energy consumer (11 percent higher than the United States), while India now ranks third. The report confirmed that world natural gas consumption in 2010 reached 3,321 billion cubic meters (bcm), up from 2,098 bcm in 1990—an increase of 58.3 percent. Natural gas consumption surged by more than eight percent, the fastest growth rate among fossil fuels and the highest growth since 1984. Meanwhile, global consumption of refined oil products in 2010 reached 3,916 million tons (mt), up from 3,054 mt in 1990, a trend propelled by the fast-growing demand for road and air transport, particularly in developing countries.

Coal and lignite consumption in 2010 grew to 7,045 Mt, from 4,684 mt in 1990, while solid fuel consumption grew by 5.3 percent in 2010, driven by Chinese demand (accounting for 45 percent of the global increase), in particular for electricity generation.

World electricity consumption reached 18,330 TWh, increasing by nearly 82 percent over the 1990 level of 10,101 TWh. Electricity consumption increased by 6.4 percent in 2010, driven by soaring demand in China (electricity needs surged by 15 percent and represented more than 40 percent of the overall increase in consumption).