Energy in the United StatesFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

United States energy consumption by sector in 2007

The United States is the 2nd largest energy consumer in terms of total use in 2010.[1] The U.S. ranks seventh in

energy consumption per-capita after Canada and a number of small countries.[2][3] Not included is the significant

amount of energy used overseas in the production of retail and industrial goods consumed in the U.S.

The majority of this energy is derived from fossil fuels: in 2010, EIA data showed 25% of the nation's energy

came from petroleum, 22% from coal, and 22% from natural gas. Nuclear power supplied 8.4% and renewable

energy supplied 8%,[4] which was mainly from hydroelectric dams although other renewables are included such

as wind power, geothermal and solar energy.[5] Energy consumption has increased at a faster rate than energy

production over the last fifty years in the U.S.(when they were roughly equal). This difference is now largely met

through imports.[6]

According to the Energy Information Administration's statistics, the per-capita energy consumption in the US

has been somewhat consistent from the 1970s to today. The average has been 335.9 million British thermal

units (BTUs) per person from 1980 to 2006. One explanation suggested for this is that the energy required to

produce the increase in US consumption of manufactured equipment, cars, and other goods has been shifted

to other countries producing and transporting those goods to the US with a corresponding shift of green house

gases and pollution. In comparison, the world average has increased from 63.7 in 1980 to 72.4 million BTU's

per person in 2006. On the other hand, US "off-shoring" of manufacturing is sometimes exaggerated: US

domestic manufacturing has grown by 50% since 1980.

The development of renewable energy and energy efficiency marks "a new era of energy exploration" in the

United States, according to PresidentBarack Obama.[7]

Contents

  [hide] 

1 History

2 Current consumption

o 2.1 Consumption by sector

o 2.2 Consumption by source

o 2.3 Regional variation

3 Oil consumption

4 Electrical Energy

o 4.1 Consumption

o 4.2 Generation

o 4.3 Trends

o 4.4 Plans

o 4.5 Energy consumption of computers in the USA

5 Fossil-fuel equivalency

6 International Cooperation

7 See also

8 References

9 Further reading

10 External links

[edit]History

US energy consumption, by source, 1775-2010. Vertical axis is in quadrillion BTU

From its founding until the late 18th century, the United States was a largely agrarian country with abundant

forests. During this period, energy consumption overwhelmingly focused on readily availablefirewood. Rapid

industrialization of the economy, urbanization, and the growth of railroads led to increased use of coal, and by

1885 it had eclipsed wood as the nation's primary energy source.

Coal remained dominant for the next 7 decades, but by 1950, it was surpassed in turn by both petroleum and

natural gas. As of 2011, coal consumption is the highest it has ever been, with coal mostly being used to

generate electricity. Natural gas, which is cleaner-burning and more easily transportable, has replaced coal as

the preferred source of heating in homes, businesses and industrial furnaces. Although total energy use

increased by approximately a factor of 50 between 1850and 2000, energy use per capita increased only by a

factor of four. As of 2009, United States per capita energy use had declined to 7075 more than 12% since

2000, and currently is at levels not seen since 1960s usage levels.[8] At the beginning of the 20th century,

petroleum was a minor resource used to manufacture lubricants and fuel for kerosene and oil lamps. One

hundred years later it had become the preeminent energy source for the U.S. and the rest of the world. This

rise closely paralleled the emergence of the automobile as a major force in American culture and the economy.

While petroleum is also used as a source for plastics and other chemicals, and powers various industrial

processes, today two-thirds of oil consumption in the U.S. is in the form of its derived transportation fuels.

[9] Oil's unique qualities for transportation fuels in terms of energy content, cost of production, and speed of

refueling have made it difficult to supplant with technological alternatives developed so far.

In June 2010, the American Energy Innovation Council,[10] (which includes Bill Gates, Microsoft; Jeffrey R.

Immelt, chief executive of General Electric; and John Doerr) has urged the government to more than triple

spending on energy research and development, to $16 billion a year. Mr. Gates endorsed the administration’s

goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050, but said that was not possible with today’s

technology or politicism. He said that the only way to find such disruptive new technology was to pour large

sums of money at the problem. The group notes that the federal government spends less than $5 billion a year

on energy research and development, not counting one-time stimulus projects. About $30 billion is spent

annually on health research and more than $80 billion on military R.& D. They advocate a jump in spending on

basic energy research.[11]

[edit]Current consumption

Main article: Energy supply

Energy in the United States[12]

Populatio Consumption Production Import Electricity CO2-emission

n

Million TWh TWh TWh TWh Mt

2004 294.0 27,050 19,085 8,310 3,921 5,800

2007 302.1 27,214 19,366 8,303 4,113 5,769

2008 304.5 26,560 19,841 7,379 4,156 5,596

2009 307.5 25,155 19,613 6,501 3,962 5,195

2010 [13] 309.3 28,714 22,063 6,334

Change 2004-2009 4.6 % -7.0 % 2.8 % -21.8 % 1.0 % -10.4  %

Mtoe = 11.63 TWh,[14] Prim. energy includes energy losses that are 2/3 for nuclear power[15]

Primary energy use in the United States was 25,155 TWh and 82 TWh per million persons in 2009. Primary

energy use was 1,100 TWh less in the US than in China in 2009. Same year the share of energy import in the

US was 26 % of the primary energy use. The energy import declined ca 22 % and the annual CO2 emissions

ca 10 % in 2009 compared to 2004.[16]

U.S. Energy Flow - 2010. A quad is 1015 BTU, or 1.055 × 1018joules. Note that the breakdown of useful and waste

energy in each sector (yellow vs. grey) may be misleading because heat engines cannot convert 100% of thermal

energy into useful work and thus lose some heat into the environment.

U.S. Primary Energy Consumption by Source and Sector, 2009. From the U.S. Energy Information Administration

(Department of Energy).

[edit]Consumption by sector

The U.S. Department of Energy tracks national energy consumption in four broad sectors: industrial,

transportation, residential, and commercial. The industrial sector has long been the country's largest energy

user, currently representing about 33% of the total. Next in importance is the transportation sector, followed by

the residential and commercial sectors.

Sector Summary

Sector Name Description Major uses[17][18][19]

IndustrialFacilities and equipment used for producing and processing goods.

22% chemical production16% petroleum refining14% metal smelting/refining

Transportation

Vehicles which transport people/goods on ground, air or water.61% gasoline fuel21% diesel fuel12% aviation

Residential Living quarters for private households.

32% space heating13% water heating12% lighting11% air conditioning8% refrigeration5% electronics5% wet-clean (mostly clothes dryers)

CommercialService-providing facilities and equipment (businesses, government, other institutions).

25% lighting13% heating11% cooling6% refrigeration6% water heating6% ventilation6% electronics

[edit]Consumption by source

The breakdown of energy consumption by source is given here:

Fuel type 2006 US consumption inPWh [20] 2006 World consumption in PWh[21]

Oil 11.71 50.33

Gas 6.50 31.65

Coal 6.60 37.38

Hydroelectric 0.84 8.71

Nuclear 2.41 8.14

Geothermal, wind,solar, wood, waste

0.95 1.38

Total 29.26 138.41

U.S, Primary Energy Consumption by Source and Sector in 2008 is tabled as following:

Consumption Summary'[22]

Supply Sources Percent of Source Demand Sectors Percent of Sector

Petroleum37.1%

71% Transportation23% Industrial5% Residential and Commercial1% Electric Power

Transportation27.8%

95% Petroleum2% Natural Gas3% Renewable Energy

Natural Gas23.8%

3% Transportation34% Industrial34% Residential and Commercial29% Electric Power

Industrial20.6%

42% Petroleum40% Natural Gas9% Coal10% Renewable Energy

Coal22.5%

8% Industrial<1% Residential and Commercial91% Electric Power

Residential and Commercial

10.8%

16% Petroleum76% Natural Gas1% Coal1% Renewable Energy

Renewable Energy7.3%

11% Transportation28% Industrial10% Residential and Commercial51% Electric Power

Electric Power40.1%

1% Petroleum17% Natural Gas51% Coal9% Renewable Energy21% Nuclear Electric Power

Nuclear Electric Power8.5%

100% Electric Power

Note: Sum of components may not equal 100 percent due to independent rounding.

Total Primary Consumption Historical Evolution in U.S until 2009.

Total Consumption until 2009 in Mtoe [23]:

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2008-20

CAGR 200

090-09

1,914

1,929.6

1,967.5

2,000.9

2,041.3

2,067.3

2,118.4

2,140.7

2,167.2

2,215.9

2,279.6

2,235.8

2,270.6

2,265.2

2,311

2,324.6

2,304.5

2,340.4

2,301.4

2,201.4

-4.3%

0.4%

CAGR = Compound Annual Growth Rate Note: Total energy includes coal, gas, oil, electricity, heat and

biomass.

[edit]Regional variation

Residential Energy Consumption per capita by State.[24]

Average annual residential electricity usage by city, 2000-2005. Measured in Kilowatt hours per customer.[25]

Household energy use varies significantly across the United States. An average home in the Pacific region

(consisting of California,Oregon, and Washington) consumes 35% less energy than a home in the South

Central region. Most of the regional differences can be explained by climate. The heavily populated coastal

areas of the Pacific states experience generally mild winters and summers, reducing the need for both home

heating and air conditioning. The warm, humid climates of the South Central and South Atlantic regions lead to

higher electricity usage, while the cold winters experienced in the Northeast and North Central regions result in

much higher consumption of natural gas and heating oil.

Another reason for regional differences is the variety of building codes and environmental regulations found at

the local and state level. California has some of the strictest environmental laws and building codes in the

country, which may contribute to the fact that its per-household energy consumption is lower than all other

states except Hawaii.

Major U.S. cities also show significant variation in per capita energy consumption. In addition to differences in

regional climates and variations in building code standards, factors affecting energy use in cities include

population density and building design. Townhouses are more energy efficient than single-family homes

because less heat, for example, is wasted per person.

[edit]Oil consumption

Further information: Oil megaprojects (2011)

For most of the twentieth century and the early part of the twenty first century, the majority of energy consumed

has been from oil - fossil fuel provided 81% of the world's energy in 2009, with oil the largest contribution.[26] In

1956 a Shell engineer, M. K. Hubbert, recognized that at some point this would end, publishing the theory

of peak oil. In 2012 it is estimated that the world is at or past peak production of oil, and that out of the

estimated 2 trillion barrels available, about half has been consumed. During the first half of the 20th century,

the United States produced a majority of oil consumed domestically, but U.S. production peaked in the late

1970s, and during the 1990s, the United States imported over 40% of its oil, peaking at over 60% in 2005.

[27] Recently, oil prices have risen, briefly, to as high as $145/barrel,[28] leading to a search for alternate sources,

and by 2012, less than half of US oil consumption was imported.[29] The dominant consumption of oil is due to

its being cheap and convenient. When both of these are removed, due to lack of supply and concern for global

warming, oil becomes unimportant. The time span to transition to renewable energy from oil could be from a

decade to half a century, but will certainly occur this century - at current rates of consumption there is

approximately a 30 year supply of oil left. If world consumption increases 2%/year, that drops to a 25 year

supply. As supplies dwindle, it is impossible to maintain production at the same level "until the well runs dry",

and then abruptly stop. Hubbert envisioned a bell shaped curve. As we are on the other side of the peak, we

can anticipate production, and therefore consumption to reduce each year,[30] and be replaced by renewable

energy.[31] In opposition to this, United States Department of Energy policy has been to continue to seek

alternatives, regardless of the price - worldwide it is estimated this will add $8 trillion to the cost of oil from 2010

to 2035.[32] As prices are set by supply and demand, if we decrease the consumption of oil faster than

production decreases, the price at the pump will decrease. If we decrease consumption slower, the price will

increase. U.S. gasoline prices jumped from $1.37 to $2.37/gallon in 2005, most likely due to peak oil - the

inability of production (supply) to meet consumption (demand). Worldwide production peaked in 2005.[33]

In 2010 70.5% of petroleum consumption in the U.S. was for transportation. Approximately 2/3 of transportation

consumption wasgasoline.[34]

During the Carter administration, in response to an energy crisis and hostile Iranian and Soviet Union relations,

President Jimmy Carter announced the Carter Doctrine which declared that any interference with U. S.

interests in the Persian Gulf would be considered an attack on U.S. vital interests.[35] This doctrine was

expanded by Ronald Reagan.[36]

In the movie, Blood and Oil, Nation magazine correspondent Michael T. Klare says that the George W. Bush

Administration extended the Carter Doctrine even further to the reaches of Africa through the creation of

the United States African Command. He says this command is just there to protect African oil, and that there is

a race for scarce oil resources as China and Russia follow the path of the United States's policy in the past by

wanting oil for their developing economies.[37]

[edit]Electrical Energy

The United States of America (USA) is the world's second largest producer and consumer of electricity.[38] It

consumes about 20%[39] of the world's supply of electricity. This section provides a summary of

the consumption and generation of the USA Electric industry. Based upon data mined from US DOE Energy

Information Administration/Electric Power Annual 2010 files[40] Data was obtained from the most recent DOE

Energy Information Agency (EIA) files. Consumption is detailed from the residential, commercial, industrial, and

other user communities. Generation is detailed for the major fuel sources of coal, natural

gas, nuclear, petroleum, hydro and the other renewables of wind, wood, other biomass, geothermal and solar.

Changes to the electrical energy fuel mix and other trends and changes from 2007 and 2000 are identified.

Progress in wind and solar contributions to the energy mix are addressed. Expected changes in the generation

environment during the next 5 years are discussed.

[edit]Consumption

US Electric Energy Consumption by Consumer Communities

Total electrical energy consumption in 2010 was 4,151 Billion Kwhs (B Kwhs). 125.7 Million residential

customers used 1,446 B Kwhs- 34.8% of USA’s 2010 load. 17.7 Million commercial customers used 1,330 B

Kwhs- 32 %. 748K Industrial customers used 971 B Kwhs- 23.4%. 397 B Kwhs or 9.6% were losses from the

system (135 B Kwhs) and for unaccounted loads (262 B Kwhs). Average residential monthly usage was about

959 Kwhs and at a cost of $110.67/month.

Total Consumption in the peak year of 2007 was 4,184.5 B Kwh’s up from 3,836 in 2000. Percentages for each

consumer type is shown in the following graph.

[edit]Generation

Electricity production by source.

  coal, oil, natural gas

  hydroelectric

  nuclear

  Other renewables

Further information: Electricity sector of the United States

USA’s 1137.3 Gigawatt power infrastructure produced 4,125 Billion Kwhs (B Kwhs)in 2010. USA imports minus

exports was 26 B Kwhs or 0.6% of what was used. Electrical energy generated from Coal was 1,847 B Kwhs

(44.5%); Natural Gas, 999 B Kwhs (24.1%); Nuclear, 807 B Kwhs (19.4%); Hydro, 255 B Kwhs (6.1%);

Renewables, 167 B Kwhs (4%); Petroleum, 37 B Kwhs (0.9%); and Misc 13 B Kwhs (0.3%). USA’s renewable

fuels (Hydro reported separately) are Wind, 95 B Kwhs (2.3%); Wood, 37 B Kwh (0.9%); other Biomass, 19 B

Kwhs (0.45% ); Geothermal, 15 B Kwhs and Solar, 1 B Kwhs (0.02%). The following tables summarize the

electrical energy generated by fuel source for the USA. Data from Electric Power Annual 2010 state data

summary[41]]was also used. Changes in each fuels contribution from 2000 to 2010 are highlighted.

Electrical Production in the United States for 2010

Power Source

Units in Operation

Power Capacity

(GW)

% of total Capacity

Capacity factor

Annual Energy (billion kWh)

 % of annual production

Coal 1396 342.3 30 0.616 1,847 44.5

Nat Gas 5635 470.3 41.4 0.242 999 24.1

Nuclear 104 106.7 9.4 0.863 807 19.4

Hydro 4,171 98.7 8.7 0.295 255 6.1

Renewables 3,014 56.8 5 0.336 167 4

Petroleum 3,779 62.5 5.5 0.068 37 0.9

Misc 51 13 0.3

Import 26 0.6

Total 18,150 1137.3 100 0.42 4,151 100

Electrical Production by Renewables in 2010

Power Source

Units in Operation

Power Capacity

(GW)

% of total Capacity

Capacity Factor

Annual Energy (billion kWh)

 % of annual production

Hydro 4,171 98.7 8.7 0.295 255 6.1

Wind 689 40.2 3.5 0.29 95 2.3

Wood 346 7.9 0.7 0.53 37 0.9

Biomass 1,574 5 0.4 0.43 19 0.45

GeoThermal 225 3.5 0.3 0.49 15 0.36

Solar 180 2.7 0.21 0.13 1 0.02

Total 7,185 157.3 13.9 0.31 422 10.1

Electric Generation (%) by Fuel Type

US Electric Generation (%) by Renewable Source

Yearly Electric Energy (B KWh (or Twh) per year) by Fuel Source

Year

Fossil Fuel

Nuclear

Renewable

Misc

Total

Coal Oil Gassubtotal

Hydro

GeoTherma

lSolar Wind

Wood

Bio

other*sub

Total

2010 1,847 37 999 2,883 807 255 15 1 95 37 19 422 39 4,151

Proportion

44.5%0.9%

24.1%

69.5%

19.4% 6.1% 0.36%0.02%

2.3% 0.9%0.45%

10.1%

0.9%

100%

2009 1,756 39 931 2,726 799 269 15 1 74 36 18 413 46 3,984

2008 1,986 46 894 2,926 806 249 15 1 55 37.3 17.6 375 44.64,151.

6

20072,016.

565.7 910 2,990 806 241 15 0.6 34 39 16.5 346 39

4,187.4

2000 1,966 111 615 2,692 754 270 14 0.5 5.6 37.6 23 318.7 38.6 3,836

Proportion

51.3%2.9%

16%70.2%

19.7% 7% 0.37%0.01%

0.14%

1% 0.6% 9.1% 1% 100%

1999 1,881 118 570 2,569 728 313.4 14.8 0.5 4.5 37 22.6 392.8 33 3,723.

7

1. Solar includes Photovoltics and Thermal.

2. Misc includes Misc generation and Imports.

3. Bio Other includes Waste, Landfill Gas, and Other.

4. Hydro includes pumped storage.

[edit]Trends

In 2010 USA’s electrical energy usage was 8% more than in 2000. It was 1% less than the peak in 2007. For

the near future, coal, natural gas, and nuclear will remain the top three fuels for electric energy generation in

the USA with natural gas increasing its contribution. Hydro will hardly maintain. Petroleum will continue to

decrease in importance. Wind and solar will continue to grow in importance but their combined contribution to

U.S. energy output will be challenged to reach 4% by 2015 without a major policy change. Long term, wind,

water, and solar are projected to be predominant. Water will be used predominantly for energy storage.[42][43]

[edit]Plans

According to the 2012 Annual Energy Outlook, from 2010 to 2015 the United States summer peak electricity

generation capacity is expected to increase from 1006.6 Gigawatts to 1017.4 Gigawatts, a 1% increase. Coal

fueled capacity is expected to decrease by 19.4 Gigawatts; nuclear capacity is expected to increase by 2.4

Gigawatts; hydro by 0.38 Gigawatts, geothermal by 0.43 Gigawatts; wind by 12.54 Gigawatts; solar by 2.53

Gigawatts, and all together, a 16.22 Gigawatt increase in renewable generating capacity. Wind generating

capacity would increase by 36%; solar, 242%. Expected 2015 energy output from wind would be 3.6% of U.S.

electrical energy usage. Solar would be 0.5%. Based on the 21% growth of wind in 2011, and the 70% growth

in solar, these are likely to be low estimates. A 20% annual increase in wind power over five years would

increase capacity by 60 Gigawatts by 2015, and a 60% annual increase in solar power would increase solar

capacity by 25 Gigawatts by 2015, almost 5 and 10 times the AEO estimates, respectively. Generation capacity

(as opposed to generating capacity) is a function of thecapacity factor, which is about 30-35% for wind power

and about 15-20% for solar power. This means that for every 100 MW of wind power installed, on average it

will generate from about 30 to 35 MW, depending on the location. For every 100 MW of solar power installed, it

will generate an average of from about 15 to 20 MW, depending on the location, as well as other factors. For

example, a concentrating solar array (CSP) with thermal storage can have a capacity factor of over 75%, and

provide power 24 hours a day. The Bureau of Land Management has allocated over 97 million acres of land in

the southwest for solar projects - enough for 4 million MW of CSP solar power, with 24 hour storage - more

than enough to supply all of the energy used in the United States.[44][45]

[edit]Energy consumption of computers in the USA

See also: Green computing

Visible or embedded (i. e. hidden) computers are found everywhere: in all sectors listed in the above chapter,

as well as in all subsectors listed in the column entitled Major uses in the above tables. In 1999, a study by

Mark. P. Mills[46] of the Green Earth Society reported that computers consumed 13% of the entire US supply.

Numerous researchers questioned Mills' methodology and it was later demonstrated that he was off by an

order of magnitude; for example, Lawrence Berkeley Labs concluded that the figure was nearer three percent

of US electricity use. Although the Mills study was inaccurate,[47][48][49] it helped drive the debate to the national

level, and in 2006 the US Senate started a study of the energy consumption of Server farms.

[edit]Fossil-fuel equivalency

The total energy consumption reported above from the Annual Energy Review has been adjusted by a fossil-

fuel equivalency factor in order to estimate how much oil would be required to supply all of the energy used.

While there is 3,412 Btu per kWh, a factor of 10,460 Btu/kWh was used for nuclear and 9,760 Btu/kWh for

renewable energy, for 2010, to reflect how much oil would be required. This inflates the reported total energy

consumption, and roughly triples the apparent share from non-fossil fuel sources. As oil is less important, this

adjustment may be removed, as is largely the case in other countries.[50][51]

[edit]International Cooperation

President Barack Obama and China's President Hu Jintao announced on 2009-11-17 a far-reaching package

of measures to strengthen cooperation between the United States and China on clean energy. The presidents

began by establishing a U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center to facilitate joint research and development

of renewable energy technologies by scientists from both countries. The center will be supported by $150

million in public and private funds over the next five years, split evenly between the partners. Initial research

priorities will be building energy efficiency and electric vehicles.[citation needed]

The two countries will also leverage private sector resources to develop clean energy projects in China through

the U.S.-China Energy Cooperation Program (ECP). More than 22 companies are founding members of the

program. The ECP will include collaborative projects involving renewable energy, smart grids, electric

vehicles, green buildings, combined heat and power and energy efficiency.[52]