Fossil fuels, natural gas, coal and bio-fuels and electricity top the list of the United States sources of energy. A greater percentage of the United States petroleum products are imported majorly from the Middle East. According to the United States Energy Department, American economy relies on four major sources of energy: electricity, nuclear, fossil and renewable energy. The United States has been heavily depending on importation of oil products for a very long period. However, the United States government through its Energy Department has been intensively researching on local oil production. According to her energy department, the United states dependency on imported oil. (Department of Energy)
This is because for nearly the last decade, her safe oil production level has really gone up. For instance, president barrack Obama availed and facilitated oil and gas exploration on several millions of acres of land. This has boosted her production to an extent that it is almost outsmarting the world’s production. For instance, in the Lawrence County of Illinois, the department of energy initiated a technological program that uses an alkaline surfactant polymer technique. This technology has not only revived the oil drilling but also increased the production four times. (Department of Energy)
Coal production in the United States have been a very critical gesture. This is because coal is highly pollutant that emmits a lot of carbon into the atmosphere. It is worth noting that coal is used in generating nearly 50 percent of the united states total energy. If not put under chek and balance, it can be harzadoius to environmental conservartion. However, the United states department of enrgy is venturing into more sustainable and efficient energy sources. This can achieved through innovation and improvement of the energy sources that are already in use. Carbon capture, storage and use has seen the capturing of carbon IV oxide gas from the coal powered plants and industries and channeling it to storage facilities for immediate or future use.
Energy consumption in the United States is based on four economic categories or sectors. These sectors include households, industrial transportation and commercial.
Household and commercial energy use is very close. Most residential and commercial premises require energy for heating, lighting homes and offices, cooling among other utilities. It is worth noting that the residential energy use in the United States has seriously increased with the increase in technology. The introduction and use of luxury electronic and mechanical gadgets such as computers, microwaves, copiers, generators among others have seriously increased the energy demand and general use in the past few decades. For instance, space heating in the residential homes during winter consumes a lot of energy. This high energy need of air conditioners if coupled with electronic gadgets such as washing machines, water heaters, cookers and computers makes residential energy consumers among the top energy consumers. However, the use of natural gas, electricity and lighting are the top three energy consumption processes in the United States residential and commercial energy consumption.
The transportation sector of the United States economy mostly relies on oil, gasoline and petroleum products. The United States uses about 28% of her total energy in moving people and goods to various destinations. This consumption process involves the use of buses, trains, private cars airplanes among other carriers. Surprisingly, over sixty percent of this energy is consumed by the private cars. This is ironical as one would expect public transport automobiles such as buses, trains and airplanes to lead in the energy consumption in this sector. The private cars take a lead in the energy consumption of this sector because many American citizens have resorted to owning and using private cars that are fuel guzzlers. The population of the United States is about only 5 percent of the world’s population but nearly one third of the world’s automobiles are found in this country. This reflects on how much fuel the united states consume annually. To make the matters worse, the rate at which the number of these automobiles increases is alarming. Economic analysts predict that in 20 years time, the total number of miles driven in the United States will go up by 40% which will equally increase the demand of fuel consumption. (National Academics)
Industrial sector is equally a heavy consumer of energy in the united states. The industrial sector is one of the key components of every economy. This is beacause evry product consumed is a country or region is as a result of a partnicular industrial process. These production processes heavily rely on energy. In particular, the united states energy consumption also takes about one third of the country’s total energy. In this regard, industrial energy use in the united statesa and any other economy affects every citizen. The nation’s citizens are the immediate consumers of its industrial products. This energy is consumed in many ways such as raisng the temperature of mahinery and raw material during the production process. On the same note, some of this energy is consumed in the general heating which entails the production of steam and hot water through heating of boilers. Industries in the united states heavily depends on natural gas and oil for their energy needs.much energy consumption in this sector is evident in the petroleum refining industries, timber and paper industries as well as chemical industries.
The United States energy needs are higher than she can produce. In fact, the energy consumed by the United States is not comparable to her population. With less than 45 percent of the world’s population, she consumes up to 25% of the world’s total energy (Pimentel 1-2). The energy that she requires for residential and industrial as well as commercial and transportation uses are very high as compared to other world users. Major residential and commercial energy use in the United States includes lighting, heating, cooling and operation of various appliances. Much of the heating takes place during winter when temperatures are very low. The key energy sources involved in this heating and warming processes are natural gas, electricity and oil. Otherwise, natural gas is preferably the most used source of energy in many households. Contrarily, cooling is highly needed in summer when the temperatures go up. These can take up the form of air conditioning of rooms and refrigeration. In general, the heating and cooling energy consumption amounts up to 54 % of the US domestic and commercial energy use.
In order to achieve energy efficiency in the United States, the government through the department of energy is emphasizing on manufacture ad use of more efficient gadgets. This is being done through thorough research in electronics and mechanical technology that helps in the updating of such devices and gadgets currently in use. For instance, to curb high lighting energy consumption in residential and commercial sector, more efficient bulbs and fluorescent tubes have been introduced. More efforts are currently underway to help reduce the industrial and transportation energy needs and consumption. Without proper strategies put in place to man the energy acquisition and use, a country can still remain energy dependent even if its production capacity has tremendously improved. Another very important aspect of energy efficiency that should not be ignored by the United States government is the use of fuel guzzlers automobiles. As long as the American citizens have the right to luxurious lifestyle, they should always be mindful of the achievement of a energy sustainable economy. They should adopt more of the public transport system rather than sticking to private car ownership and use.
In conclusion, United States has made very positive advances in reducing its dependency on oil producing countries for its energy needs. The government especially the president Obama’s administration has opened several oil fields in the United States for drilling. The United States has also embarked on the use of environmental friendly sources of energy such as solar and petroleum products that have low lead and sulphur content. This endeavor is a very good strategy to sustain the United States rapid economic development and high energy needs. However, the government should come up with ways of reducing its energy consumption especially in the residential, commercial and transportation sectors. Some of the gestures such constant research and innovativeness in the various fields of technology is a sure step towards the attainment of energy sustainability.
Works Cited
National, Academics. How We Use Energy. 2 May 2013
Pimentel, D. Biofuels, Solar and Wind as Renewable Energy Systems: Benefits and Risks.
illustrated. New York: Springer, 2008.
Whitney, Gene. U. S. Fossil Fuel Resources: Terminology, Reporting, and Summary. New York:
DIANE Publishing, 2010.
