Energy is a constant and a means of livelihood today and is something no one can do without. But specific sectors are heavily dependent on energy for almost all tasks. You can divide the sectors mainly into four parts. They are residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation. And, if reports are to be believed, this is going up and not down anytime soon.
It goes without saying that we are slowly finishing all the resources that earth has on offer, like fossil fuels. Yes, this is the most used energy source. Everybody needs to be conscious of the depleting resources so that the administration can come up with some alternate choices. Here you will read about the different sectors that consume the most energy and possible alternatives.
Residential Sector
Most U.S. households have numerous electronic devices for day-to-day work. They have become indispensable. But, if you zero down further, you will find two main expenditure points. They are heating and cooling technology. The energy usage mainly for these two functions varies from one season to another. And, geography and location also have a huge role to play here.
Water heating, space heating, lighting, and refrigeration accounts for nearly half of the energy expense for any given home. The remaining goes into washing and cooking.
Additionally, the list of consumer electronics is on the rise. Most energy comes from natural gas, LPG, and fossil fuels. Solar businesses are proliferating today, as more and more houses are becoming more conscious of finishing the energy resources on earth. There are two main reasons behind this. It is cheap and is renewable. You will find many homes waking up to the myriad benefits of the sun rays, with panels installed on their rooftops. It is surely a good sign of change for the ecosystem.
Commercial Sector
Commercial buildings include a variety of spaces, ranging from hotels to hospitals. Different commercial buildings have varied needs. However, if you delve further, you will find space heating as one of the main culprits here. Electric power and natural gas are commonly used in such buildings to generate energy. Most buildings have their separate source of supply. However, if there is a cluster of buildings, they will be governed by a district energy system. Fossil fuels like coal, natural gas, and fuel are used in such instances.
That is why it is worth highlighting that such rampant usage will be detrimental to the planet. The whole idea is to highlight the harmful effects on the environment as a whole. These compounds lead to an increase in greenhouse gases that is depleting the ozone layer. As a result, global warming will further push up energy consumption and drain all renewable resources. Therefore, alternative sources like the sun and water are being explored.
Transportation Sector
The U.S. nation is always on the move, with none sitting idle. So, there is a need for more transport options, pushing up the demand for fuel. Well, it is not only people that we are talking about here but also goods. Diesel, ethanol, natural gases are mainly used in the U.S. But very recently, electricity has made headway into the scene. That seems to be good news for the world as a whole.
Additionally, the government is also giving various tax rebates to buyers of electric vehicles. Therefore, it is imperative to explore more alternative fuel sources to better the human race. However, it is a long way to go, as electric vehicles form a percent of the energy sources.
Industrial Sector
The manufacturing sector accounts for the largest share of energy consumption in this sector, preceded by mining, agriculture, and construction. Understandably, it is an economic sector. All the products that the human race relies on, like food, buildings, appliances, and machinery, require energy. The industry uses energy in several ways. One of the primary ways that energy is used is to heat components. The same energy is also used in the heating of crude oil. Industrial energy needs are supposed to grow more in the next few years.
You will notice that the industrial sector uses renewable resources and non-renewable ones. Electricity is used for lights, machinery, computers, and such sectors. Whereas fossil fuels are still being used to heat and cool spaces, generate steam, and make plastics and chemicals. Today, some manufacturers have resorted to photovoltaic cells for energy generation. However, it is a small chunk.
The ultimate of highlighting these facets of energy consumption is to make people aware of the vagaries associated with high usage of renewable resources and fossil fuel usage. Although various alternative energy modes have emerged, they have not been adopted fully.
