This article is about the term energy intensity as used in
economics. For the
physics concept of
joules per
square metre, see
fluence. Energy intensity is a
measure of the energy efficiency of a nation's
economy. It is calculated as units of
energy per unit of
GDP.High energy intensities indicate a high price or cost of converting energy into GDP.Low energy intensity indicates a lower price or cost of converting energy into GDP.Many factors influence an economy's overall energy intensity. It may reflect requirements for general
standards of living and weather conditions in an economy. It is not atypical for particularly cold or hot climates to require greater
energy consumption in homes and workplaces for heating (
furnaces, or
electric heaters) or cooling (
air conditioning,
fans,
refrigeration). A country with an advanced standard of living is more likely to have a wider prevalence of such consumer goods and thereby be impacted in its energy intensity than one with a lower standard of living.
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In reference to transportation, the ratio of energy inputs to a process to the useful outputs form that process; for example, gallons of fuel per passenger-mile or Btu per ton-mile.
(DOE6)
Ratio between the consumption of energy to a given quantity of output; usually refers to the amount of primary or final energy consumed per unit of gross domestic product.