Energy intensity in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Energy intensity was 2.04 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices in 2022. ▼ Falling
Energy intensity in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2000–2022
Source: International Energy Agency (IEA), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), UN Statistics Division, World Health Organization (WHO), and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
The most recent figure for energy intensity in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 2.04 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices, measured in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.3% on the previous year and down 31.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, energy intensity in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 4.07 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices in 2000 and was at its lowest, 2.04 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices, in 2022.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 184th of 201 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.
Energy intensity in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 4.07 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 2001 | 3.99 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 3.87 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 3.82 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 3.69 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.4% |
| 2005 | 3.61 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 3.47 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.9% |
| 2007 | 3.26 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -6.1% |
| 2008 | 3.22 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 3.17 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 3.21 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 2.94 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -8.4% |
| 2012 | 2.98 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 2.88 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.4% |
| 2014 | 2.63 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -8.7% |
| 2015 | 2.59 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 2.5 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 2.41 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 2.34 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.9% |
| 2019 | 2.22 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -5.1% |
| 2020 | 2.28 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 2.2 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 2.04 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | -7.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.62 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 3.17 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 4.07 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.67 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 2.22 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 3.21 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.17 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 2.04 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 2.28 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices | 3 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 181 Yemen 2.07 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 182 Albania 2.06 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 182 Guyana 2.06 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 185 Djibouti 2.03 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 186 Bangladesh 1.93 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 186 Cayman Islands 1.93 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices compare
More energy & mining data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -1.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 8.2% (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is energy intensity in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Energy intensity in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 2.04 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices in 2022, according to International Energy Agency (IEA), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), UN Statistics Division, World Health Organization (WHO), and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest energy intensity recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 4.07 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices in 2000.
- What is the lowest energy intensity recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.04 megajoules per international-$ in 2021 prices in 2022.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for energy intensity?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 184th out of 201 countries with data for 2022.
- Is energy intensity rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from International Energy Agency (IEA), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), UN Statistics Division, World Health Organization (WHO), and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Energy intensity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Amount of energy needed to produce one unit of economic output. A lower number means that economies produce economic value in a less energy-intensive way. This data is measured in megajoules per dollar, adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.