Here is a chart from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_energy_consumptionRegional energy use (kWh/hab)<20><21>
.....................kWh/capita
.....................1990.......2008
USA..............89,021.....87,216
EU-27............40,240.....40,821
Middle East......19,422.....34,774
China.............8,839.....18,608
Latin America....11,281.....14,421
Africa............7,094......7,792
India.............4,419......6,280
***Note: this includes all energy forms, electricity, oil, coal, etc. Read the link for a better explanation.
If you live in the EU nations, that solar power plant will provide power for twice as many families as in the USA for example. But don't look at the chart and think we should all strive for India's per capita energy usage. Solar power alone has the ability to supply 4 times the energy usage totals worldwide. Wind power can supply more than 100% of worldwide total energy needs, as can geothermal until growth exceeds its capacity. That is only 3 of the renewable energy options we have available, each of which can provide for the total energy needs of the world today.
From the same source:
"In 2008, total worldwide energy consumption was 474 exajoules (474×1018 J=132,000 TWh). This is equivalent to an average annual power consumption rate of 15 terawatts (1.504×1013 W)<1> The potential for renewable energy is: solar energy 1600 EJ (444,000 TWh), wind power 600 EJ (167,000 TWh), geothermal energy 500 EJ (139,000 TWh), biomass 250 EJ (70,000 TWh), hydropower 50 EJ (14,000 TWh) and ocean energy 1 EJ (280 TWh).<8>"
PS, sorry for the ugly chart. DU formatting makes it difficult to line up columns... :shrug:
PPS, with energy efficiency improvements these numbers can be reduced in the US by electric cars, LED lighting, geothermal heating and cooling and "Passive House" building techniques.
- Passive House reduces energy usage by 80-90%
- Geothermal heating/cooling reduces energy usage by around 80%
- LEDs and EVs use only 15-20% of the energy that existing options do.