Energy Inequality in the U.S.: What’s the Difference?

Robert Kemp, University of Colorado at Boulder

Energy use is an important and often studied phenomena, particularly now, with the crisis of climate change looming. Often consumption of energy is the topic of study, but rarely is it the distribution of this consumption. Energy consumption is not evenly distributed across households in the United States, a fact that can lead to problems in the understanding of energy use, and the policies aimed to alter it. This study looks at how energy consumption by fuel type and related factors like energy expenditures are distributed within the United States. Preliminary findings suggest the increasing importance of electricity of a fuel source, while increasing inequality in heating fuel usage prevails. Additionally, while energy expenditures are fairly equal, their proportion of a households budget are very unequal.