According to Xinhua News Agency (IEA), headquartered in Paris, France, on April 20 released the "Global Energy Review 2021" report, it is estimated that the global energy demand will increase by 4.6% in 2021, and the global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions will increase by 4.8%.

According to the report, the COVID-19 epidemic will lead to a 4 percent year-on-year decline in global energy demand in 2020, the largest drop since World War II. The latest statistics on global energy demand in the first quarter of this year show that the epidemic continues to affect energy demand. However, the IEA expects global energy demand to rise 4.6 per cent in 2021 compared with last year as countries lift anti-epidemic restrictions and embrace economic recovery.

Specifically, in 2021, global oil demand is expected to increase by 5.4 million b/d, or 6%, from the same period last year. Led by the power sector, global coal demand is expected to rebound strongly this year, growing by 4.5 per cent year on year. Global gas demand is also expected to grow 3.2 per cent year on year, driven by markets in Asia and the Middle East.

This year, global renewable power generation is expected to grow by more than 8 per cent year on year to reach 8,300 terawatt hours, the biggest annual increase since the 1970s. Solar photovoltaics and wind will account for two-thirds of the increase in renewable power generation. This year, China is expected to account for about half of the global increase in renewable power generation, followed by the US, the European Union and India.

Global electricity demand is expected to grow by 4.5 per cent year on year in 2021, driven by stronger economic activity and rapid economic growth in major emerging economies such as China, the IEA said.

Global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions are set to rise by 1.5bn tonnes, or 4.8 per cent, in 2021 from the previous year, close to their 2018-19 peak, as demand for coal, oil and gas surges and economies rebound, according to the IEA.