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Page added on July 6, 2013
Is The United States Becoming More Energy Efficient?
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) have released a White Paper entitled “Energy Efficiency: Is the United States Improving?” in which they begin what they hope to be “an annual effort to examine and characterise the overall state of energy efficiency in the United States and determine whether it has improved, declined, or stayed the same since the previous year.” Accordingly, the ACEEE has developed a list of 15 indicators they believe create a snapshot of energy efficiency across the US.
“Energy efficiency is a key to economic prosperity and global competitiveness,” write the authors of the White Paper, Sara Hayes, Naomi Baum, and Garret Herndon. “The most energy-efficient economies are able to reduce their energy waste and maximise their output, thereby reducing costs and streamlining systems. If the United States hopes to maintain its status as a world leader, energy efficiency must play a vital role in maintaining our economic prosperity.”
However, the underlying discovery made by the authors is that while the United States has made some progress, it has been relatively moderate progress.
Five of the fifteen indicators classified by ACEEE as being representative of energy-efficiency growth in which the US has showed meaningful progress include: state energy efficiency program savings; reductions in energy use in residential buildings; standards for fuel economy; building codes; and standards for appliances. There have been improvements in energy productivity and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, but these may reflect other factors instead of solely increases in energy-efficiency. Seven of the remaining eight indicators showed only small or no improvements at all, while one showed backsliding.
A summary of all fifteen indicators was provided in the White Paper and is shown below, along with the “Overall Status of US Energy Efficiency Indicators”.
The full White Paper with thorough explanations of each of the fifteen indicators, along with a description and result of each, can be seen here (PDF).
7 Comments on "Is The United States Becoming More Energy Efficient?"
GregT on Sat, 6th Jul 2013 3:44 pm
“The most energy-efficient economies are able to reduce their energy waste and maximise their output, thereby reducing costs and streamlining systems. If the United States hopes to maintain its status as a world leader, energy efficiency must play a vital role in maintaining our economic prosperity.”
Sorry, 20 years too late.
Plantagenet on Sat, 6th Jul 2013 4:15 pm
The US is becoming slightly more energy efficient and it is also becoming poorer. Both tend to reduce energy usage.
dave thompson on Sat, 6th Jul 2013 4:22 pm
The point when oil becomes to expensive to burn for a ride to the mall is when energy efficiency will be considered important until then………drive on America.
James A. Hellams on Sat, 6th Jul 2013 4:47 pm
The single BEST indicator of the energy efficiency of our nation will be how much the population shuns aviation and highway transportation; and goes back to using the trains for the transportation of goods and passengers.
Trains, and ONLY the trains, are the MOST energy efficient; and the MOST energy alternative means of transportation we will EVER have!
Terrance Stuart on Sat, 6th Jul 2013 5:18 pm
Shipment by water is he most efficient means of transporting goods. Trains or pipelines rate next.
People of course are not goods so trains obviously win.
DC on Sat, 6th Jul 2013 5:26 pm
Q:/Is The United States Becoming More Energy Efficient?
A:LoL! NO!
This entire article of full of crap and/or wishful thinking. Look at the fuel economy alone. They must have grabbed the fuel economy from another country, like Japan, or anywhere in western Europe. The one thing these ‘rating’s completely omits is things like inherent efficiency. Take for example, how about a listing for say, suburbias overall efficiency? If they did, there little bulb would be clear (0% efficient) Residential efficiency, nearly all green?! In amerika? How about commercial buildings? Often located many miles from customers and accessible only by car, connected by vast, wasteful utilities, yet again, nearly 100% ‘efficient’ according to these guys.
You get the idea here…
Right on James, don’t forget bikes for personal transport! Bikes are technically the most efficient form of transport ever.
For bulk shipping its:
1)Ships
2)Trains
If your from amerika, then over 2/3 of all train traffic is hauling one thing- coal. The rest, mostly other natural resources. Only a small fraction is used to move finished goods, people or food on a regular basis.
BillT on Sun, 7th Jul 2013 5:51 am
This is techie porn to make them feel good. Nothing but lies packaged to look good to the uneducated/non-thinkers. No greening or conservation happening that is not forced non-consuming by reason of lack of income. Even the new ‘green’ buildings are total waste. There are far too many empty buildings that could have been renovated with much less energy use and occupied by whatever. We are teching ourselves into the Middle Ages.