Americans consume oil and gas more than any other energy source by a large margin. According to the EIA, petroleum and natural gas account for 67 percent of U.S. energy consumption and 63 percent of total energy production. Renewables are the source of only 11 percent of current energy consumption in the U.S. and account for only 18 percent of energy production.
Petroleum makes plastic, and plastic makes life-saving products possible. Petroleum fuels our cars, trucks, buses and planes, and petroleum is also the main ingredient in plastic and rubber. These materials are critically important for the production and creation of so many life-saving and life-dependent tools and products, such as IV bags and tubes, syringes, artificial heart valves and limbs, eyeglasses, life jackets, parachutes, hearing aids, tires and even the asphalt on our highways. Per capita, Americans consume petroleum products at a rate of 3.5 gallons of oil and 250 cubic feet of natural gas per day.
Worldwide energy demand is expected to rise considerably. From 2018 to 2050, the EIA predicts a 50-percent increase in the world’s total energy consumption, with China and India accounting for the largest shares of the increase in energy use. The U.S. must be prepared to produce enough energy to meet domestic demand, as well as to help satisfy the demand in these economically developing countries.
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