Material Insights · Understanding the Material World

Electric heating: Overview

Four ways to turn a plug socket into fierce, precise heat

What this tile covers Heating with electricity: resistance heaters, induction, electric arc furnaces and microwaves. Share of use 1% share of final energy use (2024)

Share of world total final energy consumption (about 435 EJ, calculated: motor systems 13,462 TWh are 53% of electricity, so about 25,400 TWh or 91 EJ, and electricity is about 21% of final energy) that passes through this device or is used by this sector, latest year available. Electricity-based devices use electricity's 21% share of final energy (IEA WEO 2025). Overlaps between devices and sectors are allowed and noted. Electricity supplied about 4% of industrial heat in 2024; industrial heat was about 114 EJ (calculated from IEA's projected 16 EJ rise being 14%), so about 4.6 EJ, about 1.0% of roughly 435 EJ final energy (calculated). Lower bound: excludes resistance space heating, water heating and cooking in buildings, for which no global figure was found. Source: Renewables 2025: Renewable heat, International Energy Agency.

Key facts

ChainElectrical → heat

Included from the reference tables

  • Resistive heaters, kettles, geysers
  • Induction heating and cooktops
  • Electric arc furnaces
  • Microwave ovens

Also in Conversion devices

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