An Updated Estimate for Energy Use in U.S. Food Production and Policy Implications

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda D. Cuellar ◽  
Michael E. Webber
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Total Energy ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Energy Intensity ◽  
Food System ◽  
The United States ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Total Energy Consumption ◽  
Food Consumed

In this work we estimate the amount of energy required to produce the food consumed in the United States in 2002 and 2007. Data from government sources and the scientific literature were used to calculate the energy intensity of food production from agriculture, transportation, manufacturing, food sales, storage and preparation. Most data were from 2002; consequently we scaled all data from other years to 2002 by using ratios of total energy consumption in 2002 to total energy consumption in the year data were reported. We concluded that food production required at least 7,880±733 trillion BTU in 2002 and 8,080±752 trillion BTU of energy in 2007, over a third of which came from food handling in homes, restaurants and grocery stores. The energy used to produce food represents approximately 8% of energy consumption. Our estimate is for the energy required to produce the food consumed in the United States and takes into account food imports and exports. To account for net food exports in the agriculture sector we calculated values for the energy intensity of ten food categories and then used the mass of domestic food consumption in each category to calculate the energy embedded in the food consumed in the United States. The amount of energy required to produce the food consumed in the United States has policy implications because it is a substantial fraction of total energy consumption and is responsible for a commensurate amount of greenhouse gas emissions. There are many opportunities for decreasing the energy intensity of food production at all steps of the food system. Education of the public and policy measures that promote energy efficiency in the food sector have the potential for decreasing food waste and the energy intensity of the food system.

scholarly journals Energy Consumption Analysis and Characterization of Healthcare Facilities in the United States

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (19) ◽  
pp. 3775 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khaled Bawaneh ◽  
Farnaz Ghazi Nezami ◽  
Md. Rasheduzzaman ◽  
Brad Deken
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Intensity ◽  
The United States ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Total Energy Consumption ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Energy Consumption Analysis ◽  
Consumption Data ◽  
End Use

Healthcare facilities in the United States account for 4.8% of the total area in the commercial sector and are responsible for 10.3% of total energy consumption in this sector. The number of healthcare facilities increased by 22% since 2003, leading to a 21% rise in energy consumption and an 8% reduction in energy intensity per unit of area (544.8 kWh/m2). This study provides an analytical overview of the end-use energy consumption data in healthcare systems for hospitals in the United States. The energy intensity of the U.S. hospitals ranges from 640.7 kWh/m2 in Zone 5 (very hot) to 781.1 kWh/m2 in Zone 1 (very cold), with an average of 738.5 kWh/m2. This is approximately 2.6 times higher than that of other commercial buildings. High energy intensity in the healthcare facilities, particularly in hospitals, along with energy costs and associated environmental concerns make energy analysis crucial for this type of facility. The proposed analysis shows that U.S. healthcare facilities have higher energy intensity than those of most other countries, especially the European ones. This necessitates the adoption of more energy-efficient approaches to the infrastructure and the management of healthcare facilities in the United States.

scholarly journals Research on Standard System for “Double Control” of Total Energy Consumption and Energy Intensity

2019 ◽  
Vol 118 ◽  
pp. 01020
Author(s):  
Qing Ding ◽  
Haihong Chen ◽  
Pengcheng Li ◽  
Meng Liu ◽  
Ling Lin
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Total Energy ◽  
Continuous Improvement ◽  
Energy Intensity ◽  
Standard System ◽  
Total Energy Consumption ◽  
Intensity Control ◽  
The Future ◽  
Consumption Control

The significance of the principles and methods for building the standard system for “double control” was analyzed. A framework of standard system for “double control” was preliminarily built, comprising three subsystems of fundamental common, total energy consumption control and energy intensity control. The features and shortcomings of standards for “double control” was analyzed, as a reference for the continuous improvement of the standard system for “double control”, as well as the research and preparation of key standards in the future.

scholarly journals Energy Use Efficiency Past-to-Future Evaluation: An International Comparison

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (19) ◽  
pp. 3804 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chia-Nan Wang ◽  
Thi-Duong Nguyen ◽  
Min-Chun Yu
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
The United States ◽  
Total Energy Consumption ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Status ◽  
Energy Efficiency Evaluation

Despite the many benefits that energy consumption brings to the economy, consuming energy also leads nations to expend more resources on environmental pollution. Therefore, energy efficiency has been proposed as a solution to improve national economic competitiveness and sustainability. However, the growth in energy demand is accelerating while policy efforts to boost energy efficiency are slowing. To solve this problem, the efficiency gains in countries where energy consumption efficiency is of the greatest concern such as China, India, the United States, and Europe, especially, emerging economies, is central. Additionally, governments must take greater policy actions. Therefore, this paper studied 25 countries from Asia, the Americas, and Europe to develop a method combining the grey method (GM) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) slack-based measure model (SMB) to measure and forecast the energy efficiency, so that detailed energy efficiency evaluation can be made from the past to the future; moreover, this method can be extended to more countries around the world. The results of this study reveal that European countries have a higher energy efficiency than countries in Americas (except the United States) and Asian countries. Our findings also show that an excess of total energy consumption is the main reason causing the energy inefficiency in most countries. This study contributes to policymaking and strategy makers by sharing the understanding of the status of energy efficiency and providing insights for the future.

Investigation on the Effect of Different Channel Geometries of Thermal Wheel for Energy Transfer Efficiency

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.M.C.K. Polgolla ◽  
◽  
H.M.D.P. Herath ◽  
M.D.A. Wickramasinghe ◽  
M.A. Wijewardane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Total Energy ◽  
Pressure Loss ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
The United States ◽  
Total Energy Consumption ◽  
Final Energy Consumption ◽  
Air Conditioning Systems ◽  
Air Streams

Inside buildings, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems are utilized to provide a comfortable environment. However, they account for a significant percentage of overall total energy consumption: in the United States, they account for about 50% of building final energy consumption and 20% of total energy consumption. [1]. The installation of a heat exchanger between the exhaust and fresh air streams is critical, owing to the significant energy savings. [2], [3]. Thermal wheels have recently gotten a lot of attention because of their high efficiency and low-pressure loss when compared to other energy recovery solutions [4]. The goal of this research is to give a comprehensive study and optimization of Thermal wheel design, with the goal of enhancing sensible effectiveness while reducing pressure loss based on channel shape.

Energy in the 1980s - The world energy outlook to the mid-1980s: the effect of an alternative supply path in the United States

1974 ◽  
Vol 276 (1261) ◽  
pp. 413-430 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Growth Rate ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
World Wide ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
The United States ◽  
Total Energy Consumption ◽  
World Energy ◽  
World Energy Consumption ◽  
The U.S

A brief review and interpretation of regional and world-wide trends in total energy consumption and its composition since the end of World War II is given. A review of energy-consumption projections into the 1980s — world-wide and regional — focuses on the role of international trade in oil in achieving supply—demand balances. The prospective position of the U.S. as a major oil importer is emphasized. An analysis of the sensitivity of world supply prospects to alternative assumptions concerning the growth of indigenous sources of supply in the United States of America and Western Europe is presented. The post-war growth rate in world energy consumption averaged out to over 5% per annum. Marked shifts in regional shares and variations in regional growth rates have occurred, but regional differences in the level of per capita energy use, while narrowing, remain conspicuously wide. The sharp relative decline of coal during this period was accompanied by a dramatic relative increase in both oil and gas. The rapid growth of world energy consumption as a whole, the continued shift toward oil and the rising volume of U.S. oil imports all failed to be adequately anticipated in past energy projections. A standard projection to the mid-1980s shows: world-wide energy growth of between 5-J- and 6% ; an even faster growth rate for oil, resulting in about 115x10® barrels (18.3 x 10® m3)/day in 1985 (compared to 53 x 102 b (8.4 x 104 m3)/d in 1972); and the addition of the U.S. to the ranks of the major oil importers. The Middle East, along with areas of lesser reserve holdings, is in all likelihood physically capable of accommodating expected oil demand to the mid-1980s. But the acute degree of dependence that this would pose for major consuming regions prompts the question of how a greatly expanded indigenous producing capability in the U.S. could blunt the one-sidedness of the demand-supply picture. Recently completed research suggests that, within an appropriate policy setting, the U.S. could probably meet all but 20% of its oil and gas internally by 1985 - and do so at real prices no higher than the $6/barrel ($38/m3>) delivered price rapidly being approached by Persian Gulf crude. Such a development, along with whatever contribution can be made by Western Europe’s own petroleum-producing capability, can perhaps introduce a stabilizing element of major importance into world energy flows.

scholarly journals Are Shorter Work Hours Good for the Environment? A Comparison of U.S. and European Energy Consumption

2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 405-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Rosnick ◽  
Mark Weisbrot
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
The United States ◽  
Work Hours ◽  
Total Energy Consumption ◽  
European Model ◽  
The World ◽  
The Eu

European employees work fewer hours per year, and use less energy per person, than their American counterparts. This article compares the European and U.S. models of labor productivity, supply, and energy consumption. It finds that if employees in the EU-15 worked as many hours as those in the United States, they would consume at least 15 percent more energy. This aspect of the debate over Europe's economic model reaches globally. Over the coming decades, developing countries will decide how to make use of their increasing productivity. If, by 2050, the world works as do Americans, total energy consumption could be 15 to 30 percent higher than it would be if following a more European model. Translated directly into higher carbon emissions, this could mean an additional 1 to 2 degrees Celsius in global warming.

scholarly journals Policies and Standards for “Double Control” of Total Energy Consumption and Energy Intensity

2019 ◽  
Vol 118 ◽  
pp. 01019
Author(s):  
Qing Ding ◽  
Pengcheng Li ◽  
Haihong Chen ◽  
Meng Liu ◽  
Sinan Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Conservation ◽  
Total Energy ◽  
Energy Intensity ◽  
Standard System ◽  
Control Action ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Total Energy Consumption

This paper introduces the background of goals regarding “double control” of total energy consumption and energy intensity, sorts out policies regarding “double control” action and their implementation, and points out that the standards for “double control” are efficient for the realization of “double control” goals. This paper also analyzes the shortcomings of standards for “double control” and gives some suggestions on the construction of the standard system for “double control” considering the demands of standards for “double control” and current status of the energy conservation standardizations in China.

scholarly journals Energy Consumption and CO2 Emission in Bangladesh: Trends and Policy Implications

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Sujahangir Kabir Sarkar ◽  
Sumaiya Sadeka ◽  
Md. Mehedi Hasan Sikdar ◽  
Badiuzzaman
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Total Energy ◽  
Co2 Emission ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Total Energy Consumption ◽  
Average Growth ◽  
Yearly Average ◽  
The World ◽  
Increasing Trend ◽  
Per Capita

Energy consumption is increasing due to the expansion of economic activity and population size which results higher GHG emission worldwide. The study has examined the trends of energy consumption and CO2 emission in Bangladesh using the secondary data extracted from the World Development Indicators of the World Bank database. The results found that there is an increasing trend of total energy consumption and per capita energy consumption in Bangladesh from 1991 to 2012 where the total energy consumption has been increased nearly three times from 12.55 mtoe (million tonne oil equivalent) in 1991 to 33.17 mtoe in 2012. The total CO2 emission was estimated by 57.07 mtoe in 2011 which was increased by 140.67% compared to the 1991 emission of 15.94 mtoe. Thus, the CO2 emission and per capita emission has also provided increasing trend over the period of 1991 to 2011.It has revealed that the growth of CO2 emission found to be higher than the growth of GDP and energy consumption in Bangladesh. The yearly average growth of CO2 emission has estimated by 6.7% which is higher that the annual average growth of GDP and energy consumption as of 5.25% and 4.77% respectively. This situation calls for serious attention of the country for reducing CO2 emission. Therefore, government needs to develop a national mitigation plan/policy and promote the use and development of green technology, renewable energy and green growth for sustainable energy and environment in Bangladesh.

scholarly journals Examining the Dynamics and Determinants of Energy Consumption in China’s Megacity Based on Industrial and Residential Perspectives

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 764
Author(s):  
Changjian Wang ◽  
Fei Wang ◽  
Gengzhi Huang ◽  
Yang Wang ◽  
Xinlin Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Total Energy ◽  
Population Size ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Growth Stage ◽  
Energy Intensity ◽  
Level Energy ◽  
Total Energy Consumption ◽  
Economic Output ◽  
Moderate Growth

Cities are regarded as the main areas for conducting strategies for energy sustainability and climate adaptation, specifically in the world’s top energy consumer—China. To uncover dynamic features and main drivers for the city-level energy consumption, a comprehensive and systematic city-level total energy consumption accounting approach was established and applied in China’s megacity, which has the highest industrial electricity consumption. Compared with previous studies, this study systematically analyzes drivers for energy consumption based on industrial and residential perspectives. Additionally, this study analyzes not only the mechanisms by which population size, economic growth, and energy intensity affect energy consumption but also the effects of population and industry structural factors. According to the extended Logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) method, the main conclusions drawn from this research are as follows: (1) The total energy consumption of Suzhou presented an overall increasing trend, with 2006–2012 as a rapid growth stage and 2013–2016 as a moderate growth stage. (2) The energy consumption structure was mainly dominated by coal, which was followed by outsourced electricity and natural gas. (3) Scale-related factors have dominated changes in energy consumption, and structural and technological factors have had profound effects on energy consumption in different development periods. (4) Population size and economic output were the main drivers for increments in industrial energy consumption, whereas energy intensity and economic structure performed the important curbing effects. The income effect of urban residents was the biggest driver behind the increase in residential energy consumption, whereas energy intensity was the main limiter. These findings provide a scientific basis for an in-depth understanding of the determinants of the evolution of urban energy consumption in China’s megacity, including similar cities or urban areas in the developing world.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document