During a time of great uncertainty where many are struggling to make ends meet as we wean ourselves off from Russian energy, a new study published by Stanford University reveals the extent to which Americans overindulge in their energy consumption.
The research centred on answering the question of how much energy does it take to live a good and healthy life? By comparing energy use and the quality of life across 140 different countries the researchers found that the ‘magic number’ is 75 gigajoules per year, or less.
To add a little context to this figure, one gigajoule of energy is equal to 8 gallons of petrol.
Americans will consume around 284 gigajoules a year per capita, nearly four times the ‘magic number’. The lead author and professor of Earth System Science, Rob Jackson, had this to say –
“That suggests to me that we could nudge energy use downwards in a bunch of hyper-consuming countries and not just make a more equitable world, but perhaps make ourselves healthier and happier”
The link between more energy and a higher quality of life is established. Around the world, 759 million individuals live without electricity and 2.6 billion go without clean cooking fuel as of 2019 (The World Bank). Naturally, this has a dramatically negative effect on human lives. An estimated 4 million people will die each year from conditions caused by the indoor air pollution from cooking fires (World Health Organisation). Further to this, electricity is also crucial for providing medical services and powering modern and developed economies.
The Stanford University research measured when exactly those benefits plateau by looking at nine benchmarks for a long, healthy life. These benchmarks are derived from the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals of access to electricity, air quality, food supply, Gini coefficient (which measures wealth inequality), happiness, infant mortality, life expectancy, prosperity, and sanitation.
After 75 gigajoules per year all but air quality peaked and began to level off. However, researchers also found that there is already enough energy used to push everyone on the planet over that consumption threshold if it was to be shared equally…
Based on current global energy consumption, there are 79 gigajoules used for every person on the planet. The Managing Director of the U.S program at RMI, Sarah Ladislaw, offered her opinion –
“It’s not super hard to conclude that Americans are generally not as efficient with their energy use as they could be… There’s enormous room for the U.S. to improve on this.”
At an individual level, changing home energy use behaviours could potentially reduce residential energy demand in the U.S by up to 20%. Examples of small changes that could contribute to this figure are heating and cooling your house by zone, or even using cold water to wash clothes and then a clothesline to dry them.
America’s largest contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions comes mostly from transportation. American overreliance on cars and trucks goes a long way to explaining this. When comparing energy use by sector, transportation comes in second behind industrial uses.
Customer Billing – Will I Be Affected?
As already mentioned, energy costs are spiralling out of control – and the price rises are affecting all of us. For UK energy customers it is difficult to say how your bills will be affected due to the serious volatility in the energy markets. It is important to remember that energy prices are rising, and this will be passed onto consumers through energy bills, making it something to keep a close eye on.
Different suppliers will feel the pinch in different ways, so it is crucial to be aware of the current situation your energy supplier finds themselves in. It is possible to view up to date supplier profiles with any recent changes for all of the energy suppliers in the UK, here.
At a time where bills look set to rise due to market volatility, it is also a good idea to ensure that you are not being overcharged for any of your utilities. It can be a tricky task to navigate but there are free online tools to remove the hassle available.
You can find a free online Gas Bill Calculator to see if you are being overcharged, here.
You can find a free online Electricity Bill Calculator to see if you are being overcharged, here.
Energy Solutions by Us, for You
At a time of great uncertainty in global energy markets, it is easy to feel lost in it all.
Keeping up to date with developing situations and the associated ramifications is a tricky and time-consuming job. It is also one that is not likely a priority for you and your business.
So, what do you do?
You partner with energy procurement experts to take the load off of your desk.
Energy Solutions have been trusted brokers for countless businesses for over twenty years, which means we know how to navigate the energy markets during a time of uncertainty.
Contact us today to find out how we can help you and your business
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