Final energy
Energy delivered to end users (households, industry, transport, services) in forms such as electricity, fuels and district heat, after conversion and transmission.
Final energy consumption (TFC in IEA terminology) is the energy that reaches end users: electricity at the meter, petrol at the pump, gas at the burner, district heat at the building. It excludes losses in power plants, refineries and networks and the energy sector's own consumption. Useful energy, a further step, is what remains after end-use conversion (heat in a room, motion of a vehicle).
Global final consumption: roughly 440–450 EJ (IEA World Energy Balances, 2022–2023)
Electricity share of final energy: about 20% globally
Typical sector shares of global final energy: industry about 37%, transport about 26–28%, buildings about 30%, with the remainder in agriculture and non-energy use (IEA). The electricity share is a key decarbonisation indicator; IEA net-zero scenarios have it rising above 50% by 2050.
Final energy is the basis of the EU's binding energy efficiency target (763 Mtoe in 2030 under the recast Energy Efficiency Directive) and of the renewable energy share target, defined as gross final energy consumption from renewables (42.5% by 2030). Electrification lowers final energy demand because electric motors, heat pumps and EVs convert final energy into useful energy far more efficiently than combustion devices. See primary energy.
Related terms
All terms →- Primary energy
Energy in its raw natural form before conversion, such as crude oil, coal, natural gas, uranium, biomass, and the electricity or heat from renewables.
- Energy intensity
Energy consumed per unit of economic output (e.g. MJ per USD of GDP) or per unit of activity, used as a proxy for energy efficiency.
- Tonne of oil equivalent (toe)
A conventional energy unit equal to 41.868 GJ (10 Gcal, 11.63 MWh), the nominal heat content of one tonne of crude oil, used in energy balances.
- Heat pump
A device that uses a refrigeration cycle to move heat from a cooler source (air, ground, water) to a warmer sink, delivering 2–5 units of heat per unit of electricity.
- Transmission and distribution losses
Electricity lost as heat and through non-technical causes between power plants and end users, usually expressed as a share of energy supplied.