Electricity

Uses for Electricity

If you’ve ever lost power in a thunderstorm, you’ve probably noticed how many items in your home use electricity. But the uses for electricity go way beyond your TV—electricity is used in all kinds of useful ways, including:

• Airplane and car navigation systems
• Streetcars and subways
• Pacemakers that help regulate people’s heartbeats
• Refrigerators, dishwashers and most other home appliances

Demand for Electricity

Although the current recession is expected to dampen electricity demand in the near term, electricity demand is expected to increase by 77% by 2030 (source: Energy Information Administration / International Energy Outlook 2009). This growth projection is based on population growth and increased supply to currently non-developed countries.

Electricity Around the World

According to a 2009 report by the U.N. Development Programme, 1.5 billion people—a quarter of the world’s population—live without access to electricity. This problem is worst in Africa, where entire nations have no power. In 11 African countries, more than 90% of the population has no electricity. Many of these Third World countries without electricity also lack the government infrastructure needed to make nationwide electricity access a reality.