Energy Facts
Though accounting for only 5 percent of the world's population, Americans consume 26 percent of the world's energy. (American Almanac)
In 1997, U.S. residents consumed an average of 12,133 kilowatt-hours of electricity each, almost nine times greater than the average for the rest of the world. (Grist Magazine)
Worldwide, some 2 billion people are currently without electricity. (U.S. Department of Energy)
Total U.S. residential energy consumption is projected to increase 17 percent from 1995 - 2015. (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
World energy consumption is expected to increase 40% to 50% by the year 2010, and the global mix of fuels--renewables (18%), nuclear (4%), and fossil (78%)--is projected to remain substantially the same as today; thus global carbon dioxide emissions would also increase 50% to 60%.
The World Bank estimates that investments of $1 trillion will be needed in this decade and upwards of $4 trillion during the next 30 years to meet developing countries' electricity needs alone.
Energy Facts
Understanding Energy
It's important to understand what energy is and what it is not, the historical context of energy around the world, and where we will get our energy in the future. You will find the most current energy facts on this website.
Energy 101
No single solution can meet our society's future energy needs. The answer lies instead in a family of diverse energy technologies that share a common thread: they do not deplete our natural resources or destroy our environment.
Oil, natural gas, and coal have all played a large role in providing energy for the world over the last 100 years. But as these resources continue to deplete, it is important for us to develop alternative energy sources to power our future.
Even with technolgies that can provide traditional energy sources to last longer, there will come a day that those resources will be gone.
Energy 201
Green energy is defined as any type of energy that doesn't come from traditional sources of energy such as oil, natural gas, or coal.
Wind power, solar power, tidal power, and biofuels are all forms of alternative energy. These are the forms of energy that will power our future. The development of these alternative energy sources will be important to making them viable sources to use.
Energy development is the ongoing effort to provide sufficient primary energy sources and secondary energy forms to fulfill civilization's needs. It involves both installation of established technologies and research and development to create new energy-related technologies. Major considerations in energy planning include resource depletion, supply production peaks, security of supply, cost, impact on air pollution and water pollution, and whether or not the source is renewable.