Energy Portraits of the USA and France

• USA and France = 2 out of top 10 energy consuming countries
• Total consumption in France = 1/10th of that of US due to:

  • Differences in population: 331.2 mn vs 65.2 mn
  • Climate: in US, larger areas experience greater extremes of heat and cold and counteracting these extremes requires large inputs of energy into heating and lighting as well as air conditioning
• Fuels US Energy vs French Energy

  Carbon: 82% 50%

  Renewables: 11% 10%

  Nuclear Energy: 8% 41%

  France = major player in nuclear power industry and has over 50 nuclear reactors currently in operation
• France = high dependency on imported supplies (46%)

  All natural gas and oils imported

  Uranium needed for its large number of nuclear power stations
• USA = import only 15% of primary energy hence making USA altogether more secure