"No energy policy for Rhode Island...can succeed unless encouragement for the conservation of energy is its strongest plank." -The U/Conserve Program, RI Utility Conservation Program, 1976.

Residential Energy Use Per Capita

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Despite its small size there is much reason to examine the residential use of energy, especially in terms of per capita energy consumption within the state of Rhode Island. The graph to the right details total residential energy consumed/per capita from the years 1985-1997 in trillion Btu's. As you can see total energy use/ per capita increased 11.45% from 1985-1997. An aspect of energy consumed conspicuously missing from the state plan is the amount consumed per capita. As a result per capita data is chosen throughout this site as a means of getting to the heart of energy consumption at a residential level.

What does the increase in per capita energy use mean for Rhode Island energy policy makers? There is a need to address this increase through plans with laid-out methods for implementation. As seen on the page discussing past energy policies, Rhode Island needs to move beyond stating goals and objectives to actual implementation. A reoccurring problem is a lack of attention given to some of the particulars of energy conservation. In the following pages you will see trends examined in terms of Metric Tons of Carbon Emitted (MTCE) and the number of heating and cooling degree days within the state. These two trends were chosen for several reasons. As climate change becomes an ever present factor in policy making it is important to look at how the residential sector consumes energy in terms of MTCE. The number of heating and cooling degree days were chosen as one possible source to target energy efficiency for the future. Rhode Island policy makers have the opportunity to examine energy use trends in terms of Btu's. used per capita and use those trends to influence policy.

HOW TO NAVIGATE THIS SITE or WHERE TO NEXT?

The following pages describe various trends in residential energy usage. The crux of this site examines MTCE emissions/per capita and heating degree days/per capita. There are other aspects that may be of interest, such as the types of energy available to Rhode Island residents, how does Rhode Island compare to other states, and what this winter has in store for Rhode Island and its energy use.