the digital world and between industry and services, and presents countless opportunities to
harness modern technologies for pursuing
enhanced economic growth with the potential for
more efficient and environmentally friendly processes”. And, “The NIR has the potential to
improve productivity and competitiveness,
reduce energy and resource consumption, and
hence to protect the environment and increase
resource efficiency and effectiveness”.
Deep integration of digital and intelligent
technologies in the energy sector generates significant impacts on energy technology development. First, it drives the development and
deployment of advanced technologies like
energy efficiency management and smart grids.
The International Telecommunication Union
estimates that information and communications
technology (ICT) could reduce global carbon
emissions by 15–40% and cut energy use in
industry to a fifth of what it is today. Second, it
improves the life cycle efficiency of most existing energy technologies, making them greener.
For instance, by using virtual drilling digital
technology Shell reduced its drilling costs in
Argentina from $15 million to $5.4 million.
3.2 Global Energy Consumption Will
Continue to Grow
According to BP, during 1965–2016, global
energy consumption grew by a factor of 2.56,
from 3,730 Mtoe to 13,276 Mtoe. However, this
growth was quite unbalanced—the total energy
consumption of OECD countries more than
doubled from 2,641 Mtoe to 5,529 Mtoe, while
that of non-OECD countries grew from 1,089
Mtoe to 7,747 Mtoe, increasing by a factor of
6.11. In 2007, the total energy consumption of
non-OECD countries exceeded that of OECD
countries for the first time, and the gap between
them continued to widen. There are several reasons for this. For OECD countries, it is mainly
due to their entering post-industrialism and
achieving significant improvements in energy
efficiency; for non-OECD countries, it mainly
results from their rapid industrialisation (Fig. 8).
Given that many emerging countries will start
to industrialise in the near future, and developing
economies will intensify their industrialisation,
global energy consumption is projected to continue to grow. According to the United Nations,
there were 56 industrialised economies,
6 31
emerging industrial economies and 78 developing economies in 2015. The industrialisation
process in these emerging and developing
countries is characterised by energy intensity.
As some research indicates, global energy
consumption is projected to increase from 575
quadrillion Btu in 2015 to 663 quadrillion Btu in
2030 and 736 quadrillion Btu in 2040. Energy
consumption in OECD countries will remain
stable, but due to rapid economic growth, significant population increase and greater access to
energy markets, non-OECD countries will contribute most of the growth in global energy
consumption. This trend is relatively stable and
consistent (Fig. 9).
By region, among non-OECD countries, Asia
shows the most obvious energy consumption
growth. During 2015–40, the energy consumption in non-OECD Asian countries will increase
by 51%. Driven by rapid population growth and
abundant domestic energy resources, the African
and Middle East countries will also see growth in
energy consumption. In comparison, thanks to
the improved energy efficiency of new technologies, OECD countries will see modest
growth in total energy consumption (Fig. 10).
By industry, the total energy consumption in
energy-intensive manufacturing and non-energyintensive manufacturing will maintain fairly fast
growth.
6
As defined by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), economies can be divided
into “industrialized economies”, “emerging industrial
economies” and “developing economies” by the adjusted
manufacturing added value per capita. If an economy’s
adjusted manufacturing added value per capita is more
than $2,500 or GDP per capita more than $20,000
(measured at purchasing power parity), it is an “industrialized economy”. If an economy’s adjusted manufacturing added value per capita is $1,000–2,500 or its share in
global manufacturing added value higher than 0.5%, it is
an “emerging industrial economy”. The rest are considered “developing economies”.
Special Report 3: A Study of China’s Technology Revolution
305
harness modern technologies for pursuing
enhanced economic growth with the potential for
more efficient and environmentally friendly processes”. And, “The NIR has the potential to
improve productivity and competitiveness,
reduce energy and resource consumption, and
hence to protect the environment and increase
resource efficiency and effectiveness”.
Deep integration of digital and intelligent
technologies in the energy sector generates significant impacts on energy technology development. First, it drives the development and
deployment of advanced technologies like
energy efficiency management and smart grids.
The International Telecommunication Union
estimates that information and communications
technology (ICT) could reduce global carbon
emissions by 15–40% and cut energy use in
industry to a fifth of what it is today. Second, it
improves the life cycle efficiency of most existing energy technologies, making them greener.
For instance, by using virtual drilling digital
technology Shell reduced its drilling costs in
Argentina from $15 million to $5.4 million.
3.2 Global Energy Consumption Will
Continue to Grow
According to BP, during 1965–2016, global
energy consumption grew by a factor of 2.56,
from 3,730 Mtoe to 13,276 Mtoe. However, this
growth was quite unbalanced—the total energy
consumption of OECD countries more than
doubled from 2,641 Mtoe to 5,529 Mtoe, while
that of non-OECD countries grew from 1,089
Mtoe to 7,747 Mtoe, increasing by a factor of
6.11. In 2007, the total energy consumption of
non-OECD countries exceeded that of OECD
countries for the first time, and the gap between
them continued to widen. There are several reasons for this. For OECD countries, it is mainly
due to their entering post-industrialism and
achieving significant improvements in energy
efficiency; for non-OECD countries, it mainly
results from their rapid industrialisation (Fig. 8).
Given that many emerging countries will start
to industrialise in the near future, and developing
economies will intensify their industrialisation,
global energy consumption is projected to continue to grow. According to the United Nations,
there were 56 industrialised economies,
6 31
emerging industrial economies and 78 developing economies in 2015. The industrialisation
process in these emerging and developing
countries is characterised by energy intensity.
As some research indicates, global energy
consumption is projected to increase from 575
quadrillion Btu in 2015 to 663 quadrillion Btu in
2030 and 736 quadrillion Btu in 2040. Energy
consumption in OECD countries will remain
stable, but due to rapid economic growth, significant population increase and greater access to
energy markets, non-OECD countries will contribute most of the growth in global energy
consumption. This trend is relatively stable and
consistent (Fig. 9).
By region, among non-OECD countries, Asia
shows the most obvious energy consumption
growth. During 2015–40, the energy consumption in non-OECD Asian countries will increase
by 51%. Driven by rapid population growth and
abundant domestic energy resources, the African
and Middle East countries will also see growth in
energy consumption. In comparison, thanks to
the improved energy efficiency of new technologies, OECD countries will see modest
growth in total energy consumption (Fig. 10).
By industry, the total energy consumption in
energy-intensive manufacturing and non-energyintensive manufacturing will maintain fairly fast
growth.
6
As defined by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), economies can be divided
into “industrialized economies”, “emerging industrial
economies” and “developing economies” by the adjusted
manufacturing added value per capita. If an economy’s
adjusted manufacturing added value per capita is more
than $2,500 or GDP per capita more than $20,000
(measured at purchasing power parity), it is an “industrialized economy”. If an economy’s adjusted manufacturing added value per capita is $1,000–2,500 or its share in
global manufacturing added value higher than 0.5%, it is
an “emerging industrial economy”. The rest are considered “developing economies”.
Special Report 3: A Study of China’s Technology Revolution
305