Tag Archives: consumption
Residential vs. Commercial Energy Use
Combined, buildings in the United States consume 40% of all energy. But these buildings are not created equal. The important first step in reducing energy use in buildings is to understand what type of building it is, and what the occupants are there to do. A school will have different energy consumption habits than a [...]
Did You Know? Smartphones Reduce Energy Usage
Smartphones are an increasingly ubiquitous aspect of modern life and research shows that they are decreasing the amount of energy used globally. This is the finding from Outlier, a research group that explores trends in how people use energy. As reported in Energy Manager Today smartphone sales volumes in 2012 were estimated at 717 million [...]
The Visable Change in Asia’s Energy Consumption
As people are coming to understand, Asian economic growth over the past two decades—despite its great adoption of oil—essentially runs on electricity, most of which is supplied by the burning of coal. Here is the night sky over Asia twenty years ago, as captured in a still photograph from a film loop provided by NOAA’s [...]
Doubling U.S. Energy Productivity By 2030
The Alliance Commission on National Energy Efficiency Policy released a report today with recommendations that would put the U.S. on a path towards doubling its energy productivity by 2030. The Commission, which is chaired by U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) and National Grid U.S. President Tom King, is a diverse coalition of energy leaders that [...]
China: Consuming Just As Much Coal As Rest of World Combined
It’s not always that I agree with Time. But this time I do, even if they’re a bit late to the party. “As the data shows, China is now burning almost as much coal as the rest of the world—combined. And despite impressive support from Beijing for renewable energy and a dawning understanding about the dangers of [...]
DOE’s International Energy Outlook: Wrong on Developing World
Regular readers will remember that I predicted that China would be using 247 quads by 2030, far more than the Department of Energy’s forecast of 163 quads. Is it possible they will be using even more than my pessimistic prediction? “Data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics show the total energy consumed in China in [...]
In Focus: Summer vs. Winter Electrical Usage
Winter months are often an energy consumption and budget strain. On an annual basis, the average usage is about 600 kWh per month for a household. The summer average is about 500 kWh, while the winter average is over 700 kWh. The average winter bill is usually over $100. There are things you can do [...]
2012′s Top 5 Oil & Gas Plays
2012 has been a stellar year for oil and gas. From East Africa to North America, new technology, major new discoveries, an unparalleled appetite for exploration and a metamorphosing perception of risk have changed the playing field. We’re looking at potential rather than existing production, and here are our Top 5 picks for this year: [...]
Combining Data to Figure out Climate Change
I apologize once again for the usual reasons. First, for the length of time since last I posted–we’ve moved and that was more disruptive this time than the 44 other moves I’ve made as an adult. Second, for returning to direct discussion of climate change, something that is closely connected to energy consumption but so [...]