2025-09-16 07:42:59
Electricity is entering a new era. From AI-driven demand surges in data centers to the revival of nuclear power, the systems that power our world are being reimagined.
Voltage Week is a special editorial series from Visual Capitalist, in partnership with Tema ETFs, exploring one of the most important transformations of our time: electrification.
Throughout the week, we’ll break down the data behind:
The explosive electricity needs of AI
Power grids struggling to keep pace with demand
The role of nuclear and renewables in future supply
And more on the forces reshaping global energy
Daily content drops: Each day, we publish a new visual or data story unpacking a critical piece of the electrification puzzle.
One central hub: All Voltage Week content lives in one place, so you can follow the story as it develops.
More to explore: The hub also connects you to other Visual Capitalist content, offering broader context on the forces reshaping global energy.
Investors, executives, policymakers, and anyone who wants to understand the shifts driving electrification will gain actionable insights into how these changes impact industries, markets, and society at large.
Voltage Week is an editorial partnership between Visual Capitalist, and our sponsor Tema ETFs, an active ETF investment manager and issuer of the Electrification ETF (VOLT).
The Tema Electrification ETF (VOLT) invests in the companies powering the future —from energy generation to grid modernization and power management technologies. Electrify your portfolio.
Visual Capitalist editorial weeks bring together data-driven storytelling and a global audience of over 100 million investors, executives, and decision-makers.
As a sponsor, your brand gains exclusive visibility during our largest editorial pushes—from homepage takeovers and dedicated newsletters to high-impact distribution across our social channels. If you want your brand’s name in lights, check out our full content calendar to see what’s available for 2026.
2025-09-16 01:27:18
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
Steel is the backbone of modern infrastructure, found in everything from skyscrapers and bridges to cars and household appliances.
This infographic ranks the world’s top steel-producing nations by crude steel production in 2024, measured in tonnes.
Data for this visualization is sourced from World Steel Association.
China churned out a whopping 1 billion tonnes of crude steel in 2024.
For reference, this is more than the combined output of every other country in the world.
| Rank | Name | 2024 Crude Steel Production (Tonnes) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 China |
1.0B |
| 2 |
 India |
149.4M |
| 3 |
 Japan |
84.0M |
| 4 |
 U.S. |
79.5M |
| 5 |
 Russia |
71.0M |
| 6 |
 South Korea |
63.6M |
| 7 |
 Germany |
37.2M |
| 8 |
 Türkiye |
36.9M |
| 9 |
 Brazil |
33.8M |
| 10 |
 Iran |
31.4M |
| N/A |
 Rest of World |
292.6M |
| N/A |
 World Total |
1.9B |
That sheer scale reflects decades of rapid urbanization, government stimulus, and an export-oriented manufacturing machine.
Although environmental pressures are prompting capacity caps, Beijing’s latest five-year plan still prioritizes high-tech and green construction, implying continued robust demand.
India remains a distant second at 149 million tonnes, yet it is the only top producer logging double-digit growth year-over-year.
New blast furnaces and electric-arc furnace investments aim to propel India to the 300-million-tonne mark by decade’s end, tightening its grip on second place.
Japan (84 million tonnes) and the U.S. (79.5 million tonnes) round out the top four, but both have seen production stagnate or decline amid aging plants and slower domestic demand in the last two decades.
In fact, steel is a major category under President Trump’s new tariffs, attracting duties as high as 50% for products that contain steel manufactured in other countries.
This is a roundabout attempt to force companies to use American steel, though opinions are divided on their immediate impact.
This market analysis report says the U.S. steel industry is positioning itself for long-term growth despite current uncertainties.
A key driver to this stated growth is the switch to electric arc furnaces, which use scrap steel (instead of iron ore) as an input product, improving efficiency and reducing emissions.
Similarly, South Korea and Germany’s steel industries face high energy costs and stringent emissions rules, and they are also shifting to electric-arc technology.
Together, the top 10 nations account for nearly 85% of global steel production.
However, with China alone commanding 53%, it leaves the world’s steel supply highly sensitive to Chinese economic swings.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: The Countries That Dominate Global Shipbuilding on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
2025-09-16 00:12:54
Electricity demand is projected to soar in the coming decades—but by how much and which sectors are driving the surge?
This visualization, created in partnership with Tema ETFs and the first post for VOLTage Week, provides visual context to the projected increase in electricity demand out to 2050. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has broken the data down by four main sources.
Electricity is the flow of energy that powers our world. It runs everything from household appliances to industrial machinery and digital systems. Electricity comes from many sources, including fossil fuels, nuclear power, and renewables. A vast grid then delivers it to homes, businesses, and industries.
In the U.S., EIA data shows electricity demand is expected to rise sharply, climbing from 3,938 terawatt-hours (TWh) in 2024 to 5,780 TWh in 2050. This is a near 50% increase as electrification accelerates.
Four main sources drive electricity demand in the U.S.: residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation. But which ones are fueling the sharpest increases?
All four are projected to grow significantly over the next 25 years. Commercial demand is expected to see the largest jump, rising from 1,397 TWh in 2024 to 2,254 TWh in 2050. This is a 61.3% increase (1.9% annualized). Much of this growth stems from soaring demand at commercial electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
| Source | 2024 (TWh) | 2050 (TWh) | Growth, 2024-2050 (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential | 1507 | 2049 | +36.0 |
| Commercial | 1397 | 2254 | +61.3 |
| Industrial | 1026 | 1468 | +43.0 |
| Transportation | 7 | 9 | +32.5 |
| Total | 5342 | 8043 | +46.8 |
The industrial sector comes next, with demand climbing from 1,026 TWh to 1,468 TWh. This is a 43.0% increase (1.4% annualized). This reflects both the electrification of industrial processes and surging demand from data centers.
Meanwhile, residential demand is projected to rise 36.0% (1.2% annualized). Transportation demand is set to grow 32.5% (1.1% annualized) as the shift toward EVs accelerates.
As electricity demand surges across every sector, the energy transition presents a compelling opportunity for investors. Companies enabling electrification—whether through power generation and storage, grid infrastructure, or new technologies—could benefit from this long-term structural growth.
The Tema Electrification ETF (VOLT) invests in the companies powering the future —from energy generation to grid modernization and power management technologies. Electrify your portfolio.
Learn more about VOLT.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) (as of December 31, 2024)
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Investing involves risk including possible loss of principal. There is no guarantee the adviser’s investment strategy will be successful.
Distributor: Foreside Fund Services, LLC.
As the reshoring trend accelerates, millions of manufacturing jobs are returning to American soil. But the benefits aren’t being shared equally across the country.
Reshoring began with supply chain disruptions and sluggish job growth—now it’s gaining momentum with the White House.
When you invest in S&P 500 stocks, you’re gaining exposure to the 500 biggest publicly traded companies in the U.S.—but not equally.
See which goods drive America’s $425B trade deficit—and why they signal key opportunities for U.S. reshoring and domestic investment.
By early 2025, the top ten companies in the S&P 500 made up nearly 40%, marking a high degree of market concentration.
The Magnificent 7 stocks have soared from $1.8T in 2014 to over $18T by 2024—but is their growing dominance making the S&P 500 concentrated?
2025-09-15 22:19:05
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
Global energy consumption per capita continues to show striking regional disparities, shaped by industrialization, climate conditions, resource availability, and policy choices.
At the country level, smaller populations with more industrialized economies reliant on heavy manufacturing or petrochemical industries rank highly among the top energy consumers per capita.
This chart shows the top 15 countries by energy consumption per capita in 2024, as well as the consumption per capita across global regions using data from the Energy Institute’s Statistical Review of World Energy 2025.
Iceland had the highest per capita energy consumption worldwide in 2024 at 788 GJ per person, narrowly edging out Qatar at 769 GJ per person.
| Rank | Country | Primary Energy Consumption in Gigajoules (GJ) per Capita in 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 Iceland |
787.7 |
| 2 |
 Qatar |
768.5 |
| 3 |
 Singapore |
649.2 |
| 4 |
 United Arab Emirates |
496.5 |
| 5 |
 Kuwait |
383.0 |
| 6 |
 Trinidad & Tobago |
381.5 |
| 7 |
 Saudi Arabia |
347.2 |
| 8 |
 Oman |
302.4 |
| 9 |
 Canada |
298.6 |
| 10 |
US |
265.9 |
| 11 |
South Korea |
254.2 |
| 12 |
Russia |
219.4 |
| 13 |
 Australia |
204.8 |
| 14 |
 Luxembourg |
203.1 |
| 15 |
 Norway |
200.1 |
Iceland’s high energy use is made possible by its abundant geothermal and hydroelectric resources, which provide near-universal access to inexpensive renewable electricity.
Qatar also ranks highly since energy consumption per person is elevated due to its energy-intensive industries and reliance on air conditioning in its hot desert climate.
Many of the top energy-consuming countries per capita are those with small populations but outsized energy production or extreme climate demands, such as Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait.
Notably, Canada and Saudi Arabia remain the only two countries in the top 10 with populations above 10 million, highlighting how smaller nations dominate the per capita rankings.
At the regional level, North America remains the world’s highest per capita energy consumer at 217 GJ per person in 2024. That’s nearly three times the global average of 73 GJ.
| Region | Primary Energy Consumption in Gigajoules (GJ) per Capita in 2024 |
|---|---|
| North America | 216.6 |
| Commonwealth of Independent States | 162.7 |
| Middle East | 140.5 |
| Europe | 105.3 |
| Asia Pacific | 63.9 |
| South and Central America | 48.9 |
| Africa | 13.9 |
| World | 72.6 |
The gap between regions underscores the energy divide. North America’s energy use contrasts starkly with Africa’s 14 GJ per capita, reflecting the differences in access to energy infrastructure.
Europe, at 105 GJ per capita, and the Middle East, at 141 GJ per capita, remain significant consumers. The Commonwealth of Independent States also stands out at 163 GJ per capita, driven by energy-intensive economies like Russia and Kazakhstan.
To learn about how different countries’ electricity demand per capita has changed over time, check out this graphic on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
2025-09-15 20:07:47
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
In the U.S., the connection between education and income is stark, with higher education leading to higher median earnings consistently.
This visualization highlights how median annual salaries change at each successive level of educational attainment in the United States, using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2024.
Annual median earnings vary significantly across education levels in the U.S., ranging from a median of just $38,376 for those with no high school education to a high of $122,876 for professional degree holders.
The data table below has the annual median salary by education level in the United States for 2024:
| Education level | Annual median earnings |
|---|---|
| Professional degree | $122,876 |
| Doctoral degree | $118,456 |
| Master's degree | $95,680 |
| Bachelor's degree | $80,236 |
| Associate's degree | $57,148 |
| Some college (no degree) | $53,040 |
| High school diploma | $48,360 |
| Less than a high school diploma | $38,376 |
Doctoral degree holders in the U.S. earn an annual median of $118,456, and have one of the largest salary differences the previous level of education, earning $22,776 more than masters degree holders (who earn an annual median of $95,680).
The earnings increase of getting a master’s degree after a bachelor’s isn’t as large of a gap at $15,444, due to the relatively high median salary of $80,236 for bachelor’s degree holders.
The most pronounced gap appears between associate and bachelor’s degree holders. Earning a bachelor’s degree adds $23,088 to the median salary compared to an associate degree. That’s a 40% increase over associate degree holders’ annual median salary of $57,148.
This underscores the financial advantage of completing a four-year college program, even if graduate study is not pursued.
While not as large of a dollar increase, earning a high school diploma is also quite valuable, adding $9,984 to annual median earnings.
This ends up being a 26% salary increase over the $38,376 median for those with no high school diploma, and is the second-largest salary increase between education levels after that of the bachelor’s degree.
It’s worth keeping in mind that along with boosting earning power, each level of education also likely improves job stability and long-term career growth.
To learn more about how salaries in the U.S. vary across different groups, check out this visualization comparing annual salary by age on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
2025-09-15 03:26:16
See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
In a politically charged environment, events like the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk or the 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump have intensified national debate around the use of violence in politics. But despite heated rhetoric from both the left and the right, a strong majority of Americans remain firmly opposed to political violence.
A recent YouGov poll, visualized by Statista, surveyed over 2,600 U.S. adults to understand public attitudes toward political violence in the U.S.
Here’s a breakdown of the data from the September 2025 survey:
| Question | Response | Share of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Do you think it is ever justified for citizens to resort to violence in order to achieve political goals? | Yes, violent crime can sometimes be justified | 11% |
| Do you think it is ever justified for citizens to resort to violence in order to achieve political goals? | No, violence is never justified | 72% |
| Do you think it is ever justified for citizens to resort to violence in order to achieve political goals? | Not sure | 11% |
| Do you think it is ever justified for citizens to resort to violence in order to achieve political goals? | Prefer not to say | 5% |
| Question | Response | Share of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| How big of a problem do you think political violence is in the U.S. today? | A very big problem | 60% |
| How big of a problem do you think political violence is in the U.S. today? | Somewhat of a problem | 27% |
| How big of a problem do you think political violence is in the U.S. today? | Not very much of a problem | 5% |
| How big of a problem do you think political violence is in the U.S. today? | Not a problem | 1% |
| How big of a problem do you think political violence is in the U.S. today? | Not sure | 7% |
According to the results, 72% of Americans believe that violence is never justified to achieve political goals. Only 11% said it can be justified in some circumstances, while the rest were unsure or declined to respond.
This widespread disapproval spans the political spectrum, even as high-profile incidents like the Trump rally shooting or the recent killing of Charlie Kirk fuel partisan outrage.
The poll also asked respondents how serious they believe the issue of political violence is in the country today. A full 60% called it a “very big problem,” and another 27% viewed it as “somewhat of a problem.” Just 6% said it was not really a problem at all.
In other words, nearly nine in 10 Americans agree that political violence is at least somewhat of a threat to democracy—suggesting rare bipartisan agreement in an otherwise divided nation.
In light of the most recent attack and ongoing political tensions, the poll results offer a rare unifying insight: Americans overwhelmingly reject violence as a means of political expression.
Even amid record polarization, the public appears to draw a clear moral line when it comes to bloodshed.
For additional context on how Americans view their political system more broadly, check out this related Voronoi post: Americans Have Nothing Good to Say About U.S. Politics.
