Frequently Asked Questions
How much energy is consumed in the world by each sector?
World marketed energy consumption was 504.7 quadrillion Btu in 2008. Of this total, the United States consumes the largest percent share (20%), followed by China (17%) and India (4%). EIA forecasts world marketed energy consumption will reach about 770 quadrillion Btu by 2035. World energy is consumed by four end-use sectors: commercial, industrial, residential, and transportation. Electric power consumption is included in the end-use sectors below.
World delivered energy consumption by end use sector (Quadrillion Btu) and percent share of total 2008:
- Commercial: 28.1 (6%)
- Industrial: 191.3 (52%)
- Residential: 51.7 (14%)
- Transportation: 98.2 (27%)
Learn More: International Energy Outlook (Appendix A1 and D1)
Last updated: October 6, 2011
Other FAQs about Electricity
- Can I choose the electricity supplier where I live?
- Can I generate and sell electricity to an electric utility?
- Does EIA have city or county-level energy consumption and price data?
- Does EIA have county-level energy production data?
- Does EIA have data on peak and hourly electricity demand?
- Does EIA have electricity prices by state?
- Does EIA have information on the service territories of U.S. electric utilities?
- Does EIA have maps or information on the location of electric power plants and transmission lines?
- Does EIA publish electric utility rate, tariff, and demand charge data?
- How is electricity used in U.S. homes?
- How many and what kind of power plants are there in the United States?
- How many nuclear power plants are in the U.S. and where are they located?
- How many smart meters are installed in the U.S. and who has them?
- How much coal, natural gas, or petroleum is used to generate a kilowatt-hour of electricity?
- How much does it cost to build different types of power plants in the United States?
- How much does it cost to generate electricity with different types of power plants?
- How much electricity does a typical nuclear power plant generate?
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- How much electricity is lost in transmission and distribution in the United States?
- How much electricity is used for cooling in the United States?
- How much electricity is used for lighting in the United States?
- How much energy is consumed in the world by each sector?
- How much of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions are associated with electricity generation?
- How old are U.S. power plants?
- What is U.S. electricity generation by energy source?
- What is a capacity factor?
- What is the difference between electricity generation capacity and electricity generation?
- What is the efficiency of different types of power plants?
- What is the outlook for home heating fuel prices this winter?
- What percentage of world energy consumption and electricity generation comes from renewable energy?
- What types and amounts of energy are produced in each state?
- Where can I find information on individual power plants in the U.S.?