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Entry bubble What Do You Know About Energy?

By: Editor | August 24, 2009 | Category: Home and Family

boy who looks puzzledOur guest blogger today is Colleen Blessing, who works on the energy statistics website at the Energy Information Administration.   

We all think a little about gasoline, because that’s a type of energy we actually buy, but many of us probably don’t understand much about gas prices except that they go up and down a lot. 

Do you know which country we get the biggest share of our oil imports 
from?  Answer:  It’s Canada, and almost half of our oil imports come from the Western Hemisphere.  You’re not alone if you got the wrong answer:  More than half of the people we surveyed recently either didn’t know or guessed Saudi Arabia or Iraq.

When you click the remote and the TV comes on, do you ever think about the electricity you’re buying to make it work or even where that electricity comes from?  If you’re like me, energy is sort of just there.  It’s on the stove and in the plug, but I don’t really think about it until there’s a power outage or until my bills are really high.  But where does electricity come from?  About half of the electricity in the United States is generated by burning coal! 

So, seeing as how it’s back-to-school time for kids, maybe some of us adults could also learn an interesting fact or two! 

And have I got a source of energy information for you!  In the category of “wow, I didn’t know the government did that,” at my high school reunion (I won’t mention which one), I amazed people by telling them I work at a government statistical agency that produces policy neutral energy data—independent of spin or advocacy.  They thought the government should do that, but they didn’t know that it actually did!  The Energy Information Administration prides itself on collecting and giving the public facts about energy that they can believe in. 

Biofuels mostly refers to ethanol and biodiesel, liquid fuels used for transportation.  They are made from things like corn and animal fat.  Did you know that Henry Ford’s original automobile, the Model T, could run on either gasoline or ethanol?

Renewable energy sources include water, the sun, geothermal, biomass and wind.  Did you know that most renewable energy is used to produce electricity?  China leads the world in renewable energy use for electricity production, but the United States is in second place.  

Do you think yellow cake is just to eat?  In fact, the term also is another name for uranium oxide, the fuel used by nuclear power plants.  Fun and Games can help you learn more energy terms.  If you’re ready to graduate to data and analysis, you can find lots of information on the Energy Information Administration website.

Start learning about energy!

| View Comments [4] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: biofuels   editor   electricity   energy   foreign_oil_dependence   gas_prices   gasoline   kids   renewable_energy  

Comments (4):

blue comment bubble Posted by Lights Out on August 24, 2009 at 11:37 AM EDT

Hmmm. I didn't know about this part of the Department of Energy. I was surprised to learn how much of our oil we get from Canada.

Most of the site is very technical, but this report is good because it's a summary of what's been happening in the energy arena and what DOE thinks will happen in the future. It's called the "Annual Energy Outlook 2009" (http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/). I also like the FAQs. Thanks for the article.

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blue comment bubble Posted by just give us the true technololgy and let go of the past on August 24, 2009 at 01:03 PM EDT

i and my husband wilbur believe that the country is holding and been holding back on car technology already known to the military of vehicles that runs without gas and not as slow as the hybrids they are trying to come out with now. my husbands said they new of this technology back in the 60's and getting the governement to release new technology is like pulling teeth

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blue comment bubble Posted by Sarah John on August 26, 2009 at 08:51 AM EDT

I agree, the Oil and Energy n industry can't just disappear in less than 50years, eventhough aprogree in solar energy is done, but It will stay the most needed energy for long future time :)


Cheers,
Sarah,

http://2improveeyesight.info

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blue comment bubble Posted by kimon on September 14, 2009 at 03:07 PM EDT

Solar energy is not being accepted that wellin european countries such as greece etc.
people from those places, ie. Tom Bournakas in this article:
<a href="http://seekingalpha.com/article/142964-solar-greece-offers-bait-but-few-takers">Solar: Greece Offers Bait, But Few Takers(scroll down to comments to see the relevant text)</a>

shows that they are at least proud of the progressive alternative energy focus of their heritage.

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