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The World's 10 Biggest Energy Gluttons

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Submitted by Andrew Topf via OilPrice.com,

Next time you get into your car and drive to the supermarket, think about how much energy you consume on an annual basis. It is widely assumed that Westerners are some of the world’s worst energy pigs. While Americans make up just 5 percent of the global population, they use 20 percent of its energy, eat 15 percent of its meat, and produce 40 percent of the earth’s garbage.

Europeans and people in the Middle East, it turns out, aren't winning any awards for energy conservation, either.

Oilprice.com set out to discover which countries use the most energy and why.

While some of the guilty parties are obvious, others may surprise you.

A note about the figures: we used kilograms of oil equivalent (koe) per capita, which refers to the amount of energy that can be extracted from one kilogram of crude oil. “Koe per capita” can be used to compare energy from different sources, including fossil fuels and renewables, and does here. The numbers represent the most recent data available from the World Bank.
World Development Indicators
(Image Source:  Oilprice.com)

1.    Iceland - 18,774 kg. Yes, that’s right, Iceland. Of all the countries in the world, including the richest and largest oil producers, Iceland consumes the most energy per person. How can that be? The reason is basically overabundance. With most of Iceland’s energy coming from hydroelectric and geothermal power, Icelanders are some of the planet’s least energy-conscious. Click here for a fascinating video of why the Nordic nation uses so much energy.

2.    Qatar – 17,418 kg. Qataris are addicted to oil. According to National Geographic, the population is provided with free electricity and water, which has been described as “liquid electricity” because it is often produced through desalination, a very energy-intensive process. Qatar's per capita emissions are the highest in the world, and three times that of the United States.

3.    Trinidad and Tobago – 15,691 kg. Trinidad and Tobago is one of the richest countries in the Caribbean, and the region's leading producer of oil and gas; it houses one of the largest natural gas processing facilities in the Western Hemisphere. T&T is the largest LNG exporter to the United States. Its electricity sector is entirely fueled by natural gas.

4.    Kuwait – 10,408 kg. Despite holding the sixth-largest oil reserves in the world, and an estimated 63 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves, the demand for electricity in Kuwait often outstrips supply. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Kuwait is perpetually in electricity supply shortage and experiences frequent blackouts each summer. The country has become a net importer of natural gas to address the imbalance.

5.    Brunei – 9,427 kg. The tiny sultanate on the island of Borneo, apart from being a substantial producer and exporter of oil and natural gas to Asia, is also a habitual power hog. The nation of roughly half a million has the region's highest number of cars per capita. Brunei also subsidizes both vehicle fuel and electricity, which is sold to the public at below-market prices.

6.    Luxembourg – 7,684 kg. Landlocked Luxembourg is almost totally dependent on energy imports, mostly oil and gas. Energy consumption has increased 32 percent since 1990, with transportation responsible for 60 percent of the intake, according to an EU fact sheet.

7.    United Arab Emirates – 7,407 kg. Nothing says conspicuous energy consumption like Ski Dubai. The indoor resort featuring an 85-meter-high mountain of man-made snow burns the equivalent of 3,500 barrels of oil a day. The World Resource Institute estimates the UAE uses 481 tonnes of oil equivalent to produce $1 million of GDP, compared to Norway's 172 tonnes.

8.    Canada – 7,333 kg. Oh, Canada. Kind, peace-loving Canadians certainly love their cars, along with space heaters, hot tubs and other energy-sucking toys. But while many equate Canada's energy sector with the oil sands, it is, in fact, other forms of energy that account for the lion's share of consumption. EcoSpark published a pie chart showing over half (57.6 percent) of Canada's electricity comes from hydro, with coal the second most popular choice at 18 percent. Nuclear is third (14.6 percent), with oil and gas comprising just 6.3 percent and 1.5 percent, respectively.

9.    United States – 6,793 kg. As the world's largest economy and richest nation, the U.S. should obviously be included as a top 10 energy glutton. However, one puzzling fact is that despite annual economic growth, per-capita U.S. energy consumption has remained around the same level since the 1970s. According to the EIA, one explanation is that the U.S. has simply shifted the energy required to satisfy greater consumption to manufacturing centers offshore.

10.    Finland – 6,183 kg. With over a third of its territory above the Arctic Circle, a cold climate, sparse population and a highly industrialized economy, it is no wonder that Finland is among the highest per-capita energy users in Europe. However, according to the International Energy Agency, Finland plans to diversify its economy away from carbon-based fuels, through a shift to renewables, including biomass, and has approved construction of two new nuclear plants.

 

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Thu, 10/02/2014 - 19:55 | 5282542 summerof71
summerof71's picture

How many kilocarbons in those big macs? This is surprising. Oil is crashing, too. Might as well eat plastic.. might be more affordable than High Fructose Corn Syrup soon.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 19:59 | 5282548 NoDebt
NoDebt's picture

Probably better for you.  Has lots of "roughage" in it, as my Grandmother used to say.  That's old-head-speak for fiber.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 20:08 | 5282574 Its_the_economy...
Its_the_economy_stupid's picture

These days "fiber" is pretty-speak for wood pulp. The better-extender.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 20:12 | 5282582 ACP
ACP's picture

Damn, #9?

I'll be a good citizen and do my part to play catch-up.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 20:23 | 5282609 ZerOhead
ZerOhead's picture

I was expecting to see Al Gore in the first place slot for some reason...

Fri, 10/03/2014 - 00:25 | 5283280 NidStyles
NidStyles's picture

Oh he's on the top of the individual consumption list. 

Fri, 10/03/2014 - 01:19 | 5283367 0b1knob
0b1knob's picture

Iceland is a major aluminum smelter, using abundant hydro power to produce a valuable export.

Eliminate industrial use and they would look a lot better.   Another worthless list from Zero Hedge.

Fri, 10/03/2014 - 03:04 | 5283477 Ghordius
Ghordius's picture

10 countries, of which only one is seriously big, and so relevant

Fri, 10/03/2014 - 08:01 | 5283809 tnquake
tnquake's picture

He's out getting a massage!

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 19:56 | 5282543 TeamDepends
TeamDepends's picture

This is a non-issue. There is limitless energy out there, if Tesla (and others) are unharnessed.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 20:35 | 5282634 PT
PT's picture

So have you replicated the results?  Or have you only watched the videos?

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 21:04 | 5282711 TeamDepends
TeamDepends's picture

Here's a hint: Earth is a giant magnet.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 21:30 | 5282782 TuPhat
TuPhat's picture

I have a large magnet in my garage. It does not produce any energy and neither does the earth. Electricity is produced when a conductor moves through the magnetic field. Aside from the fact that the earth's field is very weak there will be no power unless someone moves wire through the field. The energy returned would be less than the input. There is no free lunch. Get used to it.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 21:53 | 5282886 TeamDepends
TeamDepends's picture

Is the magnet in your garage the size of the Earth?

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 22:50 | 5283077 Thorny Xi
Thorny Xi's picture

There's unlimited "energy" surrounding the Earth; the plasma of space.  Problem is, there's no goddamn GROUND point to get the current to flow to.  So, dream on.

Fri, 10/03/2014 - 00:27 | 5283287 NidStyles
NidStyles's picture

When you pull electrical power from torsional motion there is no contact, and no wires connecting the two. It's all done via the field effect.  

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 23:29 | 5283171 PT
PT's picture

The earth is a big magnet ...
... which provides enough energy for a compass needle to spin, but is overcome by the friction created by a circular magnet / ferromagnetic material rolling along the ground, errrr, but it doesn't roll because the friction is too great.

Or are you referring to orbiting long wires?

Just do it.  Make the free energy stuff.  Sell / give it to your friends.  Chuck the plans on the net.

I actually am a believer, based on a couple of things:
At the atomic level there's a shitload of energy just bouncing around.  I know the second law of thermodynamics but I still can't help thinking that somewhere we've missed the point.
Built-in obsolescence - Inefficiency is deliberately baked into the system.  The good shit has been proven to be hidden and ignored.
Every year certain products get ~1% better.  Really?  Our best engineers work their guts out to make things 1% better?  Or they make stuff 30% better and then marketing spreads the gains over ~30 years?  I got no proof of what really happens but my BS detector is usually quite reliable in such matters.

But I don't hold my breath.
And I don't believe YouTube videos unless I replicate the results.
Put us out of our misery.  Make it happen.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 19:57 | 5282546 NoDebt
NoDebt's picture

I was ready for an America-bashing "evil global warming" diatribe.  Color me shocked.

Fri, 10/03/2014 - 08:04 | 5283824 Took Red Pill
Took Red Pill's picture

well, the list is per capita. "While Americans make up just 5 percent of the global population, they use 20 percent of its energy" So, yeah, I'd say we're at the top of the list really.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 19:58 | 5282550 eddiebe
eddiebe's picture

I still think Pons and Fleischman were bought off or scared to death and the cold fusion process ( duplicated in Japan) was squashed and abandoned. They will sell us hydrocarbons til they decide to sell us something else. Conserving energy is for the poor and chumps.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 20:04 | 5282566 knukles
knukles's picture

Face-cream and Mayonnaise?
Dr Howard, Dr Fine.  Calling Dr Howard, Dr Fine

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 21:12 | 5282726 Oliver Klozoff
Oliver Klozoff's picture

Let's pluck him and see if he's ripe.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 20:13 | 5282555 Salsipuedes
Salsipuedes's picture

Let's see: That'd be eight of the smallest countries on the planet, swimming in oil and gas, mostly in "their" oceans (according to their Dictators), some misguided loonys and the Princes of Light! Exceptional again! Luxembourg is a bit of an exception, like Monte Carlo.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 20:13 | 5282586 lotsoffun
lotsoffun's picture

i have been to iceland, am familiar with it.  and click the link mentioned and watch the video.  it confirmed what i suspected (and is being 'hidden' to some degree).

75% of the electric consumption is dedicated to the production of aluminum - at a large planet owned by.......???????

ALCOA - an american corporation?

icelanders live very frugally, in simple housing of low cubic volume relative to most americans.  that per capita number is total b.s. - it is not used by individual citizens.

can't people stop with bullshit?

the united states consumes.   we were taught and live to consume.  who consumes the aluminum produced in iceland by alcoa, that set up the plant there because

they knew that hydro and geo-thermal electric would be cheap?

 

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 20:44 | 5282631 Salsipuedes
Salsipuedes's picture

Absolutely lotsoffun. I believe Alcoa (one of the "exceptional" ones) is based in the Bay Area. You can be a bit frivolous if you have a ready, relatively eternal supply. Iceland is trying to get back on its feet after the BANKERS sucked 50 years of energy out of the country. Don't let the bastards come for your glaciers! They can only drink so many Mai Tais in Palo Alto before somebody wants a tall glass of water.

 

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 20:10 | 5282569 Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive Dissonance's picture

Does this chart take into consideration the energy in already finished products imported into a country? The US imports cars.....lots of them.....from Japan, Canada, Mexico etc. They all 'consumed' energy in their manufacture and in the materials themselves.

This applies to some degree or another to everything that is imported.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 20:16 | 5282596 saints51
saints51's picture

Exactly, China may not be in the top 10 due to all the poor folks, so that per capita variable is a bunch of bullshit. That country manufactures likely 90% of Walmart products not counting the other big retailers.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 21:12 | 5282731 3.7.77
3.7.77's picture

Actually they do.

"According to the EIA, one explanation is that the U.S. has simply shifted the energy required to satisfy greater consumption to manufacturing centers offshore."

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 21:33 | 5282790 nmewn
nmewn's picture

Or exported, as in logs/paper.

I know you're Jonesing for another N Fla update so here we go:

"(Reuters) - Investigators in North Florida were trying Wednesday to figure out whether a nearly naked woman riding in a log truck was a factor in a Monday crash that sent seven children and three adults to the hospital."

Might of been some energy being expended right there, hard to tell, lets bore down into it...

"Some people are thinking sexual encounter but it very well could be just as innocent as her getting some rest" in the sleeping berth at the back of the truck, Dylan Bryan, a spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol, said Wednesday."

Said third cousin of the driver Dylan Bryan spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol (thats right, being a Floridian I am allowed to make up my own facts, its like redneck PC...lol).

"The woman, Sherry Ford, 34, was a passenger in the semi-tractor trailer as her husband, Shannon Ford, 35, drove into a school bus that was stopped in the right lane of a highway near the town of Starke, according to an FHP media release."

That would be the big bright yellow vehicle with the strobe lights and flashers.

"Bradford County Sheriff spokesman Brad Smith said first responders at the scene found the woman outside the truck naked except for a bra. He said the driver was fully clothed."

So upset that the rending of clothes comenced immediately on impact.

"At least four motorists in two counties had reported the log truck driving erratically, with one in Nassau County telling dispatchers three hours before the crash that the truck was running red lights, a Nassau County sheriff's report said."

Wut? He was preoccupied.

 

"The Nassau sheriff's records manager Mary Mercer said their deputy stopped the truck but did not file a report after a highway trooper arrived on the scene. Shannon Ford was served with a correction notice for several problems including a broken light, Bryan said."

Have you met my wife?

"Statements by the Fords, who live in Interlachen..."

Wup, that explains it ;-)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/01/us-usa-florida-crash-idUSKCN0HQ50A20141001

Fri, 10/03/2014 - 09:12 | 5284171 Civilizedworm
Civilizedworm's picture

I hate bradford county! off topic, but I really do detest that place :)

Fri, 10/03/2014 - 10:59 | 5284650 roadhazard
roadhazard's picture

I left Fla. in '69 after moving there on 1960. I will have to go back to bury my mother some day and that will be the last time I ever go back. I can't stand the smell of that State and the water is the worst I ever drank. 

Fri, 10/03/2014 - 18:23 | 5286725 nmewn
nmewn's picture

Pass the word around, it really REALLY sucks ;-)

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 20:14 | 5282587 acetinker
acetinker's picture

Interesting article.  Not at all certain it's true, but interesting nonetheless.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 20:15 | 5282590 q99x2
q99x2's picture

ThIt may be that the US has offloaded its manufacturing but let it be known that Q99x2 jogs and/or walks to Trader Joe's otherwise it will not eat.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 20:32 | 5282625 notquantumdum
notquantumdum's picture

It would also be interesting to see energy consumption per dollar of GDP.  Those countries with a larger GDP per capita would seem far more likely to use more energy per capita.

I have heard many criticize the US for energy consumption per capita and then give kudos to China for their low energy use per capita, but China uses about 3 times more energy per dollar of GDP than the US does [based on the last time I looked this up a few months ago, for 2012 data, I think it was].  On this basis, the US also uses a good bit less energy per dollar of GDP than does the world average, per GDP.  And yet, the US gets blamed fairly consistently [at least among my predominately liberal friends and family].

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 20:44 | 5282658 Salsipuedes
Salsipuedes's picture

Oh goody! China as our new role model... "Per dollar of GDP" is as useful as ice skates in the Amazon when you factor in the war and the pillaging of some folks in the neighborhood.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 20:46 | 5282670 stopthejunk1
stopthejunk1's picture

yawn. "War and pillaging" are constants. The question isn't whether or not you do it, but whether you do it profitably.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 21:55 | 5282890 Salsipuedes
Salsipuedes's picture

Who is "you"? Despair not grasshopper. Just be sure "they" ain't you.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 22:11 | 5282954 besnook
besnook's picture

good intuitive idea but all that would measure is the high energy use by the industrial side of the economy. since the usa is a service economy there is much less energy used because of the lack of manufacuturing. since china's economy depends upon manufacturing more gdp is derived from energy gulping industry.

ironically the largest consumer of fuel in the usa is the military.

 

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 20:41 | 5282650 Kahn E. Lingus
Kahn E. Lingus's picture

We use 20% of the global energy to produce 23% of the earth's GDP. Dipshit. While having only 5% of the global population. Most of which are FSA.  

Energy consumption should be compared to output, not population!

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28nominal%29

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 20:47 | 5282663 intheshortrun
intheshortrun's picture

Take it easy on Canada and Iceland Tyler! I am Canadian and trust me there are legitimate weather reasons why we consume so much. When the exterior temp hovers around -30F energy consumption goes up exponentially!

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 20:46 | 5282664 stopthejunk1
stopthejunk1's picture

The bottom line is that it doesn't matter. There is no energy shortage, and there never will be.

There will only be lies, and more lies.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 20:49 | 5282676 Bunga Bunga
Bunga Bunga's picture

And the elephant in the room is ......?

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 20:57 | 5282690 Quaderratic Probing
Quaderratic Probing's picture

9 months of the year Canada is below 0.

This is kind of article that really pisses me off.

We ended up with green tax to cut carbon usage. Then removal of old inefficient electric bulbs $1.00 each florescent are $8.00 because the old bulbs are 5% light 95% heat.

Well duh,  10 - 100 watt old bulbs powered by hydro dam used to add 950 watts worth of heat to the house every hour. Without them the gas furnace makes it up. Burning co2 were we were not before. Not one of our knuckleheads in govt noticed.

Multiply 950 watts per hour times all the homes in Canada, its millions of Btu's

Maybe they did notice the extra green tax and sales tax on more expensive bulbs

 

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 21:07 | 5282719 intheshortrun
intheshortrun's picture

So true! When I explain this fact to my fellow Canadians they look at me as if I am from Mars. That's what happens with a dumbed down society who have no practical science knowledge or any common sense for that matter. Keep'em buying the icrap........

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 21:38 | 5282810 Quaderratic Probing
Quaderratic Probing's picture

I hear you brother the greens can go fuck themselves, clueless boneheads.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 21:18 | 5282746 Oliver Klozoff
Oliver Klozoff's picture

CFL's put out plenty of heat, just ask any indoor pot grower.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 21:39 | 5282815 Zeta Reticuli
Zeta Reticuli's picture

Iceland uses cheap, non-polluting sources of energy but this article treats them the same as  any country  that  uses very dirty energy sources.

If somebody mastered cold fusion and had unlimited clean, free energy, they would be at the top of this useless list.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 21:51 | 5282869 I Write Code
I Write Code's picture

Sorry, no, cannot believe the numbers at all.  Not even worth speculating about how they might be true, they certainly aren't.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 22:07 | 5282942 snblitz
snblitz's picture

"If someone masters fusion energy..."

That would be me.  I am running my farm entirely off the Sun.  Do I get upvotes?

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 22:17 | 5282965 besnook
besnook's picture

not from me. i am going to blame you for the not yet thought of sun tax because self righteous people like you are so proud of your enviro commitment that you give the state new ideas for taxes when you pound your chest in glee for your personal obsession. so shut the fuck up if you know what is good for you.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 22:10 | 5282949 Trucker Glock
Trucker Glock's picture

"9.    United States – 6,793 kg. As the world's largest economy and richest nation"

Define rich, please.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 22:20 | 5282976 Cymore Duttz
Cymore Duttz's picture

PRE-Obama, we would have been number#1. Now we can barely score 9 out of 10.

It's Bush's fault.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 22:20 | 5282977 Cymore Duttz
Cymore Duttz's picture

PRE-Obama, we would have been number#1. Now we can barely score 9 out of 10.

It's Bush's fault.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 22:38 | 5283037 AdvancingTime
AdvancingTime's picture

 In the middle of 2013 the Presidential Climate Change Initiative was announced, in it Obama works hand in hand with environmental groups and avoids congress. The initiative will be carried out through executive orders by a President that recently has been unfocused and busy addressing scandal, after scandal, after scandal. Obama has promised to protect future generations if congress did not act.

If Obama is serious about protecting the environment he should lead the way by ending the many fuel sucking flights he takes on Air Force-1 to play golf and do fund raisers. I have criticized politicians lack of courage in environmental policies in an article about how presidential candidates shy away from the "C" word. It is as if conservation is a dirty word.and that they will offend someone. Or is it possible that big business and lobbyist have made the subject taboo? More on this subject in the article below.

 http://brucewilds.blogspot.com/2013/06/presidential-climate-change-initi...

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 22:53 | 5283080 New American Re...
New American Revolution's picture

They forgot Al Gore, he's got to be in the top 10.

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 22:56 | 5283085 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

 Tyler, last night/yesterday you published a chart that showed "debt to gdp" with European segments.

 The first chart included Portugal ( terra cotta) Listed.

 Second chart was perfect. {expense vs gdp} No Portugal?  The line was there, without comparison?

  I'm a chart whore Bitchez/

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 23:28 | 5283168 cart00ner
cart00ner's picture

Who cares... soon we wont be able to afford to drive and eat meat - problem solved!

Fri, 10/03/2014 - 02:13 | 5283434 ersatz007
ersatz007's picture

I guess the graph program used to produce this line chart doesn't have different types of lines? I'm pretty good with colors, but holy crap batman there are like 17 shades of pink....

Fri, 10/03/2014 - 08:02 | 5283815 AdvancingTime
AdvancingTime's picture

For most of his time on earth man has been a minor consumer of the earth’s stores of energy. With the discovery of fire man began to increase his demands and draw on the short-term energy stores that had been accumulated over scores of years or even centuries by woody plants. 

In the last hundred years with the invention of the internal combustion engine and a huge increase in population man has begun to tap the planets long-term energy supplies of oil and natural gas at an alarming rate. We have shaped a world where our lifestyles revolve around and are dependent on oil and the consumption of energy from fossil fuels. More on how we impact our environment in the article below.

\http://brucewilds.blogspot.com/2012/04/whats-in-footprint.html

Fri, 10/03/2014 - 08:21 | 5283896 VangelV
VangelV's picture

Isn't this study stating what should be obvious?  After all, if you live in a cold climate you need to heat your home in the winter months just to keep alive.  That would mean that places like Finland and Canada will have a high energy demand just for residential heating.  And if you are wealthy and live in a hot and humid area wouldn't you spend money on air conditioning?  That would explain countries like Brunei and Kuwait.  So what exactly is the point?

Sat, 10/04/2014 - 02:56 | 5287899 nje
nje's picture

extracting energy from geothermal and hydroelectric sources is nearly inconsequential. to repersent the energy consumption of each country as an oil equivelent per capita, where the energy generated is mainly from geothermal and hydroelectric sources (ie. Iceland, Canada), is misleading since extracting energy from oil has dire consequences through the entire process from oil extraction -> refining -> burning. a nation consuming 1 million kg oil equivlent per capita through geothermal generation is still more responsible than the nation consuming 1 kg oil equivelent per capita through oil based generation.

also, many countries on that list require more energy per capita to keep their citizens alive throughout their winters. how is consuming that energy gluttenous?

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