Since our electrical experiments and discoveries began in the 1600s, we’ve been able to provide 80% of the world with access to electricity. This means that nearly 6 billion people are able to light their homes, cook their food, and stay warm. But have you ever wondered who uses the most electricity?
By Country
According to the most recent data available from the CIA World Factbook, electricity consumption varies greatly throughout the world, and while you may have guessed that our country is the one that uses the most, we’re not.
Here’s a list of electricity consumption (kWh/per person) by country:
Iceland – 52,621
Norway – 24,558
Canada – 16, 020
Sweden – 14,510
U.S. – 11,920
Australia – 10,238
France – 7,023
Japan – 6,750
Germany – 6,697
Russia – 6,017
Spain – 5,686
Italy – 5,059
U.K. – 4,648
South Africa – 4,347
China – 3,494
Mexico – 1,579
India – 498
Nigeria – 107
Another thing that may be surprising is the comparison between the U.S. and China or India: The U.S. has about 314 million people, and our average electricity consumption is around 12,000 kWh. China, however, has a population of 1.35 billion, yet their electricity consumption is around one quarter of ours. India is even more of a gap; their population is 1.24 billion, yet they only use 498 kWh.
By U.S. State
While it’s interesting to compare our country to the rest of the world, it may be even more interesting to compare your home state’s electricity consumption to the other states around you.
According to the California Energy Almanac, here is a list of electricity consumption (kWh/per person) by U.S. state:
Wyoming – 27,457
Kentucky – 21,590
Washington D.C. – 19,896
North Dakota – 19,477
Louisiana – 18,852
South Carolina – 17,903
Alabama – 17,293
West Virginia – 17,290
Mississippi – 16,793
Arkansas – 16,519
Indiana – 16,315
Nebraska – 16,293
Tennessee – 16,117
Oklahoma – 15,568
Iowa – 15,048
Georgia – 14,578
Virginia – 14,489
Idaho – 14,475
Missouri – 14,345
North Carolina – 14,325
Kansas – 14,263
Texas – 14,179
Montana – 13,992
South Dakota – 13,916
Washington – 13,557
Ohio – 13,388
Delaware – 12,904
Minnesota – 12,845
Nevada – 12,497
Florida – 12,379
Wisconsin – 12,159
Oregon – 12,077
Pennsylvania – 11,759
Arizona – 11,395
Maryland – 11,343
Illinois – 11,253
New Mexico – 10,739
Michigan – 10,516
Colorado – 10,359
Utah – 10,106
New Jersey – 8,985
Vermont – 8,982
Maine – 8,696
Massachusetts – 8,591
Connecticut – 8,514
New Hampshire – 8,286
Alaska – 7,952
New York – 7,467
Rhode Island – 7,434
Hawaii – 7,363
California – 6,721
Just like with the country comparisons, there are a few state comparisons that seem surprising: Wyoming has a population of around 576,400 and an electricity consumption of 27,457, while California has a population 38 million, but an electricity consumption one quarter of Wyoming’s. This is probably due to the fact that California is one of highest-ranking states for solar power.
If you want to learn more about using less electricity and saving money, check out our blog, “Types of Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs” or call one of our electrical repair experts.