The National Academies
What You Need To Know About Energy
Our Energy Sources
Two questions immediately strike us: Will we have enough affordable energy in the near future? What will we do for the long term?
The answers depend on our inventory of sources. Our energy supply comes mainly from fossil fuels, with nuclear power and renewable sources rounding out the mix. These sources originate mostly in our local star, the Sun. Electricity falls into its own category because it’s an energy carrier and not a primary source. Here we explore the pros and cons of each resource and look at some of the emerging technologies that could transform our energy situation in the future.
Relative contributions of energy sources to total U.S. energy consumption in 2008.
Explore Other Topics
Energy Hands-on
Understanding Efficiency
Learn the significance of energy efficiencyOur Energy System
A visualization of all our energy sourcesWhat do you know about energy?
About 21% of the electricity used in residential and commercial buildings goes to what use?
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Roughly 21% of the electricity used in residential and commercial buildings goes to lighting.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Roughly 21% of the electricity used in residential and commercial buildings goes to lighting.
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Correct!
Roughly 21% of the electricity used in residential and commercial buildings goes to lighting.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Roughly 21% of the electricity used in residential and commercial buildings goes to lighting.
Energy Defined
- Sustainability
Sustaining the supply of energy and materials needed to support current levels of consumption, making them available where most needed, and addressing the environmental problems resulting from their extraction, consumption, and disposal.
