There are some fascinating and staggering statistics in a recent article in Dwell Magazine title The Power is Yours. It is a clear graphic representation on where our energy comes from, where energy is lost and where energy is used. I’ll highlight some of the coolest and craziest below!
Crazy stat number 1: 65% of energy from burning a unit of coal is not converted to electricity! That one is pretty shocking because burning coal is responsible for just under 50% of our energy production in the United States.
The other heavy hitters in energy production are Natural Gas and Nuclear. They are just under 25% each of the energy produced. All of the greener energy producers (wind, solar, hydropower, etc.) total about only an eighth of the total energy produced.
The culture of greener living seems to be more and more a part of our lives, but we are far from making a significant change in our ways.
The average annual kW/h usage for an American home is 12,244 kW/h. Home lighting occupies, on average, about 15.3% of a home’s energy consumption. Water heating is about 9.2%, Refrigerators are 8.1%, Clothes Washers are only 0.6% but Dryers are 5.5%. Space Cooling (AC or central heating) tops the list at 16.4%.
Using Energy-Star rated appliances will significantly reduce your home’s energy consumption. It will save you money and demand less from the environment.
Check out Energy-Star online at www.energystar.gov or read the whole article in the July/August 2010 issue of Dwell!
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