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Learn: Resource Usage |
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Energy is essential to our lives and to the economic vitality of economies around the world. Energy markets are becoming increasingly global, with well over half of the growth in world energy demand and supply now occurring in transition and emerging economies, particularly in Europe and in Asia. The challenge we face is how to balance the trade-offs between the world’s improved economic development and subsequent increased demand for energy, with the negative environmental impacts of energy use (source: Energy Information Administration/International Energy Outlook, 2007).
The United States uses significantly more energy per capita than any other country in the world. With less than five percent of the world’s population, we consume about one fourth of the world’s energy resources. As a result, the U.S. is now second only to China in total greenhouse gas emissions and #6 worldwide in terms of per capita emissions (Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2007; World Resources Institute, 2005). |
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Dependence on Fossil Fuels |
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Why are we facing global climate change? Historically, non–renewable energy sources, such as fossil fuels, have been used to produce the energy that we have become so dependent upon. According to the Energy Information Administration, per capita energy consumption has increased 55% since 1949. In 2006, approximately 85% of the energy consumed in the United States was produced through the combustion of fossil fuels. The remaining 15% came from other energy sources such as hydropower, biomass, nuclear, wind, and solar energy (source: EIA/Annual Energy Review, 2006).
Fossil fuels are formed from plants and animals that lived up to 300 million years ago. Coal, oil and natural gas - the three main fossil fuels -are found in deposits underground and are burned to release the chemical energy that is stored within them. When this energy is released, so are greenhouse gases.
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End-Use Sector Emissions
The four primary end-use sectors are: residential, commercial, industrial and transportation. The chart below indicates each end-use sector's contribution to CO2 emissions as a result of fossil fuel consumption. Electricity consumption accounts for the majority of CO2 emissions generated by residential and commerical.
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Natural Gas |
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| Natural Gas is a colorless, odorless form of energy that when burned emits fewer harmful by- products into the air compared to other fossil fuels. For an equivalent amount of heat, burning natural gas produces about 30% less carbon dioxide than burning petroleum and about 45% less than burning coal (source: Naturalgas.org). In 2006, the EIA reported that the industrial end-use sectorwas the largest consumer of natural gas (35%) in U.S. followed by the electric power sector (29%). Learn more about natural gas. >> |
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Oil |
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| In 2005, the U.S. accounted for 25% of world petroleum consumption, followed by China and Japan with a combined total of 15%. The transportation sector is the largest consumer of petroleum products in the U.S. accounting for 68% of all petroleum consumption. (source: EIA/Annual Energy Review, 2006). Learn more about the oil industry. >> |
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Coal |
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| Our dependency upon coal is greater than ever, but the users have changed over time. In the 1950s, industry was the primary user with many residences using coal as a heat source. By comparison, in 2006, the electric power industry accouted for 92% of all coal consumption (source: EIA/Annual Energy Review). Learn more about the coal industry. >> |
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