Data from the United States government announced new lows in energy consumption in 2020.
By Michael McGrady, Maritime Direct Americas & Pacific Correspondent
WASHINGTON — According to the US Energy Department’s Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2020 saw the most significant decline in energy consumption in both percentage and absolute terms via the agency’s consumption data dating back to 1949.
Nationwide, energy consumption fell to 93 quadrillion British thermal units (quads), which is down 7 percent from 2019. As expected, the EIA attributed this decline to the economic impacts and responses to the opening days of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The largest recorded annual decrease in nationwide energy consumption occurred during the Great Recession of 2008. That is when consumption decreased by 5 percent due to the recession during the beginning years of the Obama administration’s eight-year tenure. Other large annual decreases in energy consumption also occurred during other economic recessions.
On the front of transportation, the sector’s energy consumption fell by 15 percent.
That is due almost entirely to a decreased petrol usage for travel. Travel restrictions between countries during 2020 also contributed to this decline, including major consumption slumps in overall petrol demand, motor gas, diesel, and (of course) maritime fuels.
Transport saw an overall decline greater than other sectors like commercial and residential. Industrial consumption also slumped.
Takwimu kutoka kwa serikali ya Marekani zilitangaza viwango vipya vya matumizi ya nishati katika 2020. Michael McGrady, mwandishi wa Maritime Direct Amerika na Pasifiki, alisema kuwa kwa mujibu wa Idara ya Habari za Nishati ya Marekani (EIA), mwaka 2020 uliona kupungua kwa matumizi ya nishati kwa asilimia na kwa jumla kupitia data ya matumizi ya shirika hilo kuanzia mwaka 1949. Kwa ujumla, matumizi ya nishati ya nchi nzima yamepungua hadi 93,000,000,000,000 ya vitengo vya joto vya Uingereza (QTU), ambayo ni chini ya asilimia 7 kutoka 2019. Kama inavyotarajiwa, EIA ilihusianisha kupungua kwa athari za kiuchumi na majibu kwa siku za ufunguzi wa janga la COVID-19 linaloendelea. Kupungua kwa kila mwaka kwa matumizi ya nishati nchini kote kulifanyika wakati wa Mshuko Mkubwa wa Kiuchumi wa 2008. Kwa mujibu wa ripoti hiyo, matumizi ya mafuta ya Marekani yalipungua kwa asilimia tano kutokana na mfumuko wa uchumi katika miaka ya kwanza ya utawala wa Obama. Kupungua kwa kila mwaka kwa matumizi ya nishati pia kulitokea wakati wa mapumziko mengine ya kiuchumi. Katika sekta ya usafiri, matumizi ya nishati ya sekta hiyo yalipungua kwa asilimia 15. Hiyo ni kwa sababu karibu kabisa ya kupungua kwa matumizi ya petroli kwa ajili ya kusafiri. Vizuizi vya kusafiri kati ya nchi wakati wa 2020 pia vilichangia kupungua kwa matumizi, pamoja na kupungua kwa matumizi katika mahitaji ya jumla ya petroli, gesi ya gari, dizeli, na (bila shaka) mafuta ya baharini. Usafiri uliona kupungua kwa jumla kubwa kuliko sekta nyingine kama vile kibiashara na makazi. Matumizi ya viwanda pia yalipungua.