Jan. 9, 2012: Energy Outlook Sees Efficiency, Growth, and Natural Gas Reshaping Demand
IRVING, Texas — Demand for energy will rise through 2040 as global economic output doubles and prosperity expands across a world where population will grow to nearly 9 billion people, Exxon Mobil Corp. states in The Outlook for Energy: A View to 2040. Extending its annual long-term energy forecast to 2040 for the first time, ExxonMobil said this year’s outlook reveals several trends that will influence how the world uses energy over the coming decades.
The outlook projects that global energy demand in 2040 will be about 30 percent higher than it was in 2010, led by growth in developing regions such as China, India, Africa, and other emerging economies. While oil will remain the most widely used fuel, overall energy demand will be reshaped by a continued shift toward less-carbon-intensive energy sources — such as natural gas — as well as improvements in energy efficiency.