Drawing on McKinsey's expertise in the energy sector, MGI examines the full set of drivers of energy demand at the micro-level and assesses other commodity market developments.
Averting the next energy crisis: The demand challenge
Global energy-demand growth is expected to flatten in the short term but will rebound with recovery. Indeed, there is potential for liquids-demand growth to outpace that of supply—risking a new spike in oil as soon as 2010 to 2013, depending on the depth of the economic downturn. Read
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The carbon productivity challenge: Curbing climate change and sustaining economic growth
Meeting commonly discussed greenhouse gas abatement paths by 2025 while maintaining economic growth will require a tenfold increase in "carbon productivity," the amount of GDP produced per unit of carbon equivalents emitted. The macroeconomic costs of this "carbon revolution" are likely to be manageable. Read
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The case for investing in energy productivity
Additional annual investments in energy productivity of $170 billion through 2020 could cut global energy-demand growth by at least half while generating average internal rates of return of 17 percent. Such outlays would also achieve significant energy savings and cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.
Fueling sustainable development: The energy productivity solution
By choosing more energy-efficient cars and appliances, improving insulation in buildings, and selecting lower-energy-consuming lighting and production technologies, developing countries could cut their annual energy demand growth by more than half from 3.4 to 1.4 percent over the next 12 years. This would leave energy consumption some 22 percent lower than it would otherwise have been—an abatement equivalent to the entire energy consumption of China today.
Capturing the European energy productivity opportunity
With energy-efficiency standards in Europe set higher than in many other regions, European companies are in a strong position to make large energy-cost savings and innovate lucrative new markets in energy-efficient technologies and services, attracting worldwide demand. If policy makers and business engage fully in boosting energy efficiency, Europe could hold energy demand at today's level instead of seeing it grow 1.2 percent annually.
Curbing global energy demand growth: The energy productivity opportunity
In-depth sector case studies illustrate how the right policies and investments in existing technologies that yield an internal rate of return of 10 percent or higher could contribute to a reduction in global energy demand growth by at least half to 2020.
Leapfrogging to higher energy productivity in China
By taking advantage only of currently existing technologies that pay for themselves, China could further its ongoing efforts and reduce total energy demand in 2020 by as much as 23 percent. Lower energy demand would also mean that China could cut its projected oil imports by up to 15 percent and its CO2 emissions by at least 20 percent by 2020.
Wasted energy: How the U.S. can reach its energy productivity potential
By capturing the potential available from existing technologies, the United States could cap U.S. energy consumption, as well as its greenhouse gas emissions, at today’s levels.
Exploring growth scenarios for global energy and oil demand An interactive graphic examines the growth of global energy and petroleum demand based on scenarios accounting for GDP and other factors, including the potential reduction in demand through increased energy productivity. View interactive graphic overview
The carbon productivity challenge Any successful program of action on climate change must support two objectives—stabilizing atmospheric greenhouse gases and maintaining economic growth.
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Slideshow Explores the top five ways to capture the energy productivity opportunity. Launch slideshow
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