# Internal combustion engines and gensets: Overview

The piston engines in cars, ships and backup generators

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_engines/overview/

What this tile covers Piston engines in vehicles, ships and generators, burning petrol, diesel or gas. Share of use 23% share of final energy use (2019)

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. Oil used by road vehicles (49.2% of final oil), ships (6.7%) and rail (0.8%) times oil's 40.4% share of final energy gives about 22.9% (calculated, IEA 2019 balance). Lower bound: leaves out tractors, construction machinery and diesel gensets. Overlaps road, marine and rail tiles. Source: [Key World Energy Statistics 2021](https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/52f66a88-0b63-4ad2-94a5-29d36e864b82/KeyWorldEnergyStatistics2021.pdf), International Energy Agency.

#### Key facts

| **Chain** | Chemical (diesel) → heat → mechanical (engine) → electrical |
|---|---|

#### Included from the reference tables

- Diesel generators
- Gas engines
- Petrol and diesel engines

#### Also in Conversion devices
[ST Steam turbines and thermal power plants](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_steam_turbines/)[CCGT Gas turbines and combined cycle](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_gas_turbines/)[Gen Generators and alternators](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_generators/)[Mot Electric motors and drives](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_motors/)[PE Transformers and power electronics](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_power_electronics/)[FC Fuel cells](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_fuel_cells/)[Elz Electrolysers](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_electrolysers/)[HP Heat pumps, air conditioning and refrigeration](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_heat_pumps/)[EH Electric heating](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_electric_heat/)[LED Lighting and displays](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_lighting/)[Blr Boilers, furnaces and stoves](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_combustion_heat/)

Explore paths from here
 More on this tile in the tabs above: science and limits, value chain, unit economics, engineering methods, equipment and suppliers.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_engines/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_engines/correlation/index.md)
- [Science and limits](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_engines/science/index.md)
- [Value chain](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_engines/valuechain/index.md)
- [Unit economics](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_engines/economics/index.md)
- [Engineering methods](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_engines/methods/index.md)
- [Equipment and suppliers](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_engines/equipment/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_engines/links/index.md)