The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
has demonstrated that satellites can help measure at least a
part of the information needed to determine the balance of
greenhouse gas emitters and sinks in a geographical area.
But NASA still needed an Earth-bound source of energy data.
In 2007, the average monthly residential electricity consumption was 936 kWh. (Source: EIA)
Electricity generation accounts for about 40% of total U.S. energy consumption. (Source: Institute for 21st Century Energy)
Public policies such as appliance and vehicle efficiency standards and building codes are responsible for at least 20% of the improvement in the US's energy intensity--energy use per unit of GDP. (Source: Institute for 21st Century Energy)
55 of the world's 65 largest oil producing countries are past their production peaks and in decline.
The United States makes up 5% of the world's population and accounts for 25% of total energy use.
