Industries Use About One-Third of Energy Consumed in the U.S.

Industry accounted for more than thirty percent of the nation’s energy usage in 2011, according to a report by the Energy Information Agency. The usage includes everything from mining to food production. Food is one of the most energy intensive sectors, with chemical plants and oil refineries requiring the most power.  The EIA says some of the more voracious energy consumption includes packaging food and consumer goods.

“… aluminum cans for soda, iron and steel for canned foods, paper for cereal boxes, glass for pickle jars, bulk chemicals for plastic milk jugs, and plastic packaging for cold cuts and frozen vegetables. The mining industry produces the raw materials for virgin glass and steel, and the petroleum refining, natural gas, and mining industries produce raw materials for bulk chemicals.”

Below is a chart that lays out energy use by each manufacturing sector.

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