Infographic: Track the Flow of Energy in the United States

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has a collection of infographics illustrating the use and waste of energy in the county and in specific states by year.

1 minute read

October 23, 2018, 6:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Energy Efficiency Infographic

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory / Estimated U.S. Energy Consumption

A tweet by the U.S. Department of Energy brought our attention to this collection of "Energy Flow Charts' on the website of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

One thing that becomes exceedingly clear is how wasteful the entire energy industry is by the time its product gets down to the end user. In the fine print of the 2017 flow chart for the United States, we see that end user efficiency is calculated at 65 percent for the residential sector, 65 percent for the commercial sector, 49 percent for the industrial sector, and 21 percent for the transportation sector.

Friday, October 19, 2018 in Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 21, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail station with bullet train.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself

The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

May 19, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Two Rivian trucks charging at Rivian branded charging ports.

US Senate Reverses California EV Mandate

The state planned to phase out the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035, a goal some carmakers deemed impossible to meet.

7 seconds ago - CALmatters

Metal U.S. Geodetic Survey marker in stone in Arizona.

Trump Cuts Decimate Mapping Agency

The National Geodetic Survey maintains and updates critical spatial reference systems used extensively in both the public and private sectors.

1 hour ago - Wired

Close-up of 10 mph speed limit sign.

Washington Passes First US ‘Shared Streets’ Law

Cities will be allowed to lower speed limits to 10 miles per hour and prioritize pedestrians on certain streets.

2 hours ago - The Urbanist