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Americans used less energy in 2015 according to analysis

Date:
April 19, 2016
Source:
DOE/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Summary:
Americans used less energy overall in 2015 than the previous year, according to the most recent energy flow charts. Among the results, residential natural gas consumption fell by 0.5 quads in 2015 due to a mild winter. Commercial and industrial uses of energy saw much smaller decreases.
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Americans used less energy overall in 2015 than the previous year, according to the most recent energy flow charts released by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Each year, the Laboratory releases energy flow charts that illustrate the nation's consumption and use of energy. Overall, Americans used 0.8 quadrillion BTU, or quads, less in 2015 than in 2014. (A BTU or British Thermal Unit is a unit of measurement for energy; 3,400 BTU is equivalent to about 1 kilowatt-hour).

Natural gas use increased by 3 percent to 28.3 quads while coal use decreased by 12 percent to 15.7 quads. "The drop in coal consumption is almost entirely due to the electricity sector, which continues to use more natural gas, in favor of coal," said A.J. Simon, group leader for LLNL's energy program. In fact, much of the overall decrease in energy consumption can be traced to the shift from coal to gas, because modern gas-fired plants may use up to 46 percent less energy to produce the same amount of electricity."

Renewable energy continues to grow, with use of wind energy up 5 percent, geothermal energy up 11 percent, and residential solar energy up 11 percent. Utility scale solar energy, which saw the completion of several major projects in recent years, was up 25 percent. Prices for photovoltaic panels have fallen dramatically over the past decade, contributing to solar energy's rapid growth.

Residential natural gas consumption fell by 0.5 quads in 2015 due to a mild winter. Commercial and industrial uses of energy saw much smaller decreases.

Not all the energy consumed is put to use and accounts for the rejected energy, according to the charts. The country wasted 1 percent less energy in 2015 going from 59.4 quadrillion BTU in 2014 down to 59.1 quads in 2015. This decrease is tied to the increase in efficiency of the electricity production sector, such as large solar farms in the desert, according to Simon.

The majority of energy use in 2015 was used for electricity generation (38 quads, down slightly from 2014), followed by transportation, industrial, residential and commercial. The residential, commercial and industrial sectors used less energy in 2015 except for petroleum use, which increased by 2 percent. Petroleum use continues to track with the nation's steady and modest economic growth -- more people are driving for work and recreation, and more economic activity increases commercial and industrial shipments.


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Materials provided by DOE/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


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DOE/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. "Americans used less energy in 2015 according to analysis." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 19 April 2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160419145417.htm>.
DOE/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. (2016, April 19). Americans used less energy in 2015 according to analysis. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 18, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160419145417.htm
DOE/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. "Americans used less energy in 2015 according to analysis." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160419145417.htm (accessed March 18, 2024).

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