New study also points out dependency on natural gas, crude oil in U.S.
A new study released by Commodity.com checks in on energy efficiency, state-by-state. The website, run by its synonymous LLC, specializes in ranking commodities significant to world economics, from oil to cryptocurrency.
Check to see if your state falls into the Top 15 rankings!
15. Oregon Total energy consumption per GDP (BTU per dollar): 4,168.3 Total energy consumption per capita (million BTU per capita): 243.8 Total energy consumption (trillion BTU): 1,028.1 Total GDP (billion dollars): $246.65
14. Colorado Total energy consumption per GDP (BTU per dollar): 4,019.4 Total energy consumption per capita (million BTU per capita): 273.8 Total energy consumption (trillion BTU): 1,576.5 Total GDP (billion dollars): $392.22
13. Vermont Total energy consumption per GDP (BTU per dollar): 4,011.4 Total energy consumption per capita (million BTU per capita): 219.4 Total energy consumption (trillion BTU): 136.9 Total GDP (billion dollars): $34.13
12. Florida Total energy consumption per GDP (BTU per dollar): 3,920.0 Total energy consumption per capita (million BTU per capita): 203.8 Total energy consumption (trillion BTU): 4,376.4 Total GDP (billion dollars): $1,116.44
11. Delaware Total energy consumption per GDP (BTU per dollar): 3,848.5 Total energy consumption per capita (million BTU per capita): 304.5 Total energy consumption (trillion BTU): 296.5 Total GDP (billion dollars): $77.04
10. New Hampshire Total energy consumption per GDP (BTU per dollar): 3,654.5 Total energy consumption per capita (million BTU per capita): 235.2 Total energy consumption (trillion BTU): 319.8 Total GDP (billion dollars): $87.51
9. Washington Total energy consumption per GDP (BTU per dollar): 3,472.3 Total energy consumption per capita (million BTU per capita): 272.6 Total energy consumption (trillion BTU): 2,076.0 Total GDP (billion dollars): $597.87
8. Hawaii Total energy consumption per GDP (BTU per dollar): 3,350.4 Total energy consumption per capita (million BTU per capita): 217.2 Total energy consumption (trillion BTU): 307.5 Total GDP (billion dollars): $91.78
7. New Jersey Total energy consumption per GDP (BTU per dollar): 3,285.1 Total energy consumption per capita (million BTU per capita): 236.5 Total energy consumption (trillion BTU): 2,100.6 Total GDP (billion dollars): $639.44
6. Maryland Total energy consumption per GDP (BTU per dollar): 3,208.2 Total energy consumption per capita (million BTU per capita): 223.7 Total energy consumption (trillion BTU): 1,352.6 Total GDP (billion dollars): $421.61
5. Rhode Island Total energy consumption per GDP (BTU per dollar): 3,103.4 Total energy consumption per capita (million BTU per capita): 179.6 Total energy consumption (trillion BTU): 190.3 Total GDP (billion dollars): $61.32
4. California Total energy consumption per GDP (BTU per dollar): 2,555.9 Total energy consumption per capita (million BTU per capita): 197.5 Total energy consumption (trillion BTU): 7,802.3 Total GDP (billion dollars): $3,052.65
3. Connecticut Total energy consumption per GDP (BTU per dollar): 2,554.6 Total energy consumption per capita (million BTU per capita): 206.4 Total energy consumption (trillion BTU): 736.0 Total GDP (billion dollars): $288.11
2. Massachusetts Total energy consumption per GDP (BTU per dollar): 2,474.3 Total energy consumption per capita (million BTU per capita): 213.0 Total energy consumption (trillion BTU): 1,467.9 Total GDP (billion dollars): $593.26
1. New York Total energy consumption per GDP (BTU per dollar): 2,169.0 Total energy consumption per capita (million BTU per capita): 198.2 Total energy consumption (trillion BTU): 3,855.9 Total GDP (billion dollars): $1,777.75
A few takeaways:
1) Size, in this case, does matter—but it's not a dealbreaker. The nine smallest states in the Union all appear on this list; however, so do large states like California, Colorado, and Washington.
2) Texas, which not only produces massive amounts of energy but also has its own grid (ERCOT), is notably absent. This is a reflection of the state's cultivation of traditional energy sources like oil and natural gas; a point professed by the study overall.
3) The taboo part of the conversation is unavoidable: Almost every state on the list leans "blue" politically (with the notable outlier of Florida). Almost every state listed voted for Joe Biden in the most recent election and many of them have further history of democratic support. This checks out, considering that side of the aisle's commitment to renewable energy sources.
Here's a more in-depth summarization of the study's findings:
"As the global economy continues to expand, the need for energy to sustain that growth is increasing as well. Energy efficiency creates a number of benefits for the economy overall. Consumers and businesses that rely on energy benefit from lower prices because it is easier to meet demand with lower levels of energy production. Utilities and other energy producers can save on the cost of energy production and transmission infrastructure with more efficient generation. And more efficient energy use also has environmental advantages: efficient energy production releases lower levels of greenhouse gas and other pollutants, along with requiring less water use."
The study cites policies like Energy Efficiency Resource Standards or more stringent building codes as contributors to "continued improvements in energy efficiency", acknowledging that "programs like the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for buildings and the government’s ENERGY STAR certification for consumer appliances have helped raise standards of energy efficiency for many aspects of everyday life."
As for the methodology and history of the research body: To determine the states with the most energy efficient economies, researchers at Commodity.com analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The researchers used this data to rank states by their total energy consumption per GDP. In addition, the total energy consumption per capita, total energy consumption, and total GDP were provided for reference.
Commodity.com began in May 2010 as HowToTradeCommodities.co.uk, published by UsefulDomains.co.uk in the UK. The site rebranded as HowToTradeCommodities.com after a few years to better target an audience beyond the UK. It then acquired the premium domain name Commodity.com in early 2017 and rebranded the site. The domain was owned for decades by George Kleinman and his business Commodity Resource Corporation (CRC), which has operated for 30+ years as a commodity brokerage firm. Prior to founding CRC, George Kleinman was one of the top commodity brokers at Merrill Lynch making their ‘Golden Circle’ before leaving to start his own operation.
The U.S. also has room to continue improving in the efficiency of its energy production, thanks to an increasingly diverse—and more efficient—mix of energy sources. Fossil fuels including natural gas (34 quadrillion BTU), crude oil (23.6), and coal (10.7) constitute a sizable majority of U.S. energy production. However, energy production from fossil fuels has moved away from highly inefficient coal and toward more efficient natural gas in recent years, and other alternatives, including renewables like wind, have become a much more significant portion of the U.S. mix.
In the meantime, some states are further along than others in advancing energy efficiency goals. Several factors explain why. Many of the leading states have stronger policies and standards regulating energy efficiency in utilities, buildings, or products like vehicles and appliances. Others have sped their transitions away from more inefficient fossil fuels toward efficient renewable sources with new investments and regulations. And some benefit from other economic and demographic factors, like the aforementioned shift toward less energy-intensive industries or densely populated urban areas, which promote energy efficiency in buildings and transportation. Together, these factors have put states like New York, Massachusetts, and California toward the top of the list of most energy efficient locations.
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