Energy Use Remains High in the Northwest USA
Cascadia Scorecard Shows Energy Trends Moving in Wrong Direction
May 29, 2009
The Northwest region of the U.S. is often considered one of the country's greener areas, but the Cascadia Scorecard tells a different story. The Scorecard, published by the Sightline Institute to rate the annual performance of the Northwest in such areas as health, wildlife, and pollution, reports that the Northwest's worst performing trend is in the area of energy, with residents consuming nearly double the amount of energy as their German counterparts.
Cascadia Scorecard Energy Indicator
To arrive at an energy performance rating for the Northwest, the Scorecard tracks the per-person use of electricity and the consumption of motor fuels. These calculations are then converted to a common unit: the energy equivalent of a gallon of regular gasoline.
The Scorecard compares their findings to a target goal that is based on an energy-equivalent of 7.5 gallons of gasoline per person per week. This standard is based on the German's consumption rate as of 2001, the last year that data was available when the Scorecard was implemented in 2004. The German standard was chosen because it was seen as an achievable goal by other industrialized countries.
However, in 2008, Northwest residents consumed over 14 energy-equivalent gallons of gasoline per person per week, nearly doubling the German-based model. When broken down, these figures represent almost one gallon of gasoline per person per day, one-third gallon of diesel fuel per day, and enough electricity to power 10 100-watt light bulbs burning nonstop in homes and business throughout the Northwest.
Energy Consumption Trends in the Northwest USA
Although Northwest residents spent more on fossil fuel in 2008 than ever before and their energy consumption remains high, their energy trends cannot be attributed simply to their cars. Per-person gasoline consumption has actually been falling since the late 1990s. And rising fuel prices has only served to contribute to this trend. In fact, despite a 15% population increase over the last decade, people in the Northwest used no more gasoline in 2008 than they did in 1998.
And the use of diesel fuel has also declined, despite a long-term upswing experienced prior to 2008. Because of the faltering economy, combined with soaring energy prices, the demand for diesel fuel has fallen in the past year as long-distance trucking is being cut back and the industry made more efficient.
Despite the reductions in fuel consumption, the high-cost of fuel led to an increase in the amount that Northwest residents paid for their fuel. In fact, the Northwest states spent over $28 billion to import coal, oil, and natural gas, despite the fact that 2008 gasoline consumption per person was at its lowest level since 1965. Even so, Northwest residents still use a lot of gas. For example, they're using about 44% more gasoline per person than individuals in British Columbia.
But fuel consumption is not the only issue. A disturbing trend has emerged in the Northwest: the rise in the use of electricity. In fact, the total consumption of electricity rose by 12% from 2003 to 2008, a rate that outpaced population growth across the region. Indeed, when electricity is included in the calculations on energy consumption, the Northwest is clearly moving in the wrong direction.
Unless Northwest residents can learn to trim their wasteful energy use, the region can never reach the modest goals set out by the Cascadia Scorecard, and the global and regional problems that result from such consumption will only grow worse. If the current trends continue, it could take as long as 88 years before the region reaches the Scorecard's goals.
 |
 |
