FIGURE 1.2 Total energy consumption in the United States in 2008, by sector and fuel. Shown are electricity consumption—with the losses in generation, transmission and distribution allocated to the end-use sectors—and the fuels used on-site in each sector. Electricity is generated off-site using fossil, renewable, and nuclear energy sources. Source: EIA 2009a, as updated by EIA, 2009c.

States.³ In 2008, about 40 percent of the energy consumed in the United States was used in the myriad activities and services associated with residential and commercial buildings; 28 percent was used in transportation; and 31 percent was used in industry. U.S. energy consumption in 2008 by sector and by fuel type is shown in Figure 1.2.

Additional details on the sources and sectoral uses of energy in the United States are shown in Figure 1.3, which indicates for 2008 the amount of primary energy used for electricity generation (40.0 quads) and how much generated electricity and other energy was used in residential and commercial buildings (20.1 quads), transportation (27.9 quads), and industry (23.9 quads). In 2008, 73 percent of the generated electricity was used in the residential and commercial buildings sector and almost all of the rest by industry, with only a small amount used for transportation. Figure 1.3 also shows on the far right how much of the