What country is the most energy efficient?

Question

I had a discussion of this topic and came to no real answer. I know the USA consumes the more energy than a lot of countries, but do we do it more efficiently than say China for example? I have lived in the USA, and Europe. I find the homes very different, most homes in the USA are wood frame, here in The Netherlands it is cement for example. My guess is wood is a better insulator than cement. What about oil vs. coal for electricity, who uses the most environmentally friendly methods to produce energy?
Despite consumption of energy (large countries of course consume more) who uses it the best, and who has the most energy efficient households? Any answers with sources for further reading would be great.

The question is better asked....who uses energy the most efficient, efficent being the important detail here. NOT just gross consumption.

The question is not who uses the most...but the detail here is efficient. For example does Germany have more energy effient households than say Denmark etc.

Answer 1

The first Wikipedia article below is about the Kyoto treaty and it describes Japan and the Netherlands as being highly efficient. It also said that Australia was one of the biggest emitters of CO2 on per capita basis, but of course it has a small population.

The second source is a Wikipedia article on energy intensity. The 3rd source is an enlargement of a graph from the second source. It says that Bangladesh is the most efficient. I am sure they get that from just doing without power generation at all, walking everywhere and doing all the work by hand. It speaks of their poverty. Some ultra-radical environmentalists want the whole world to go back to that kind of living.

Answer 2

It is difficult to say really. I do know that some people countries in the Middle East are using solar energy for their houses by installing solar panels on the roof. I read some where too that street lamps in some areas of the region will have solar run street lights.This is true in some parts of the US too. Some Far East Asian countries are using solar energy for calculators. Some UK houses use insulation around water heaters, and in other Asian countries, some use the solar energy to light garage ways and gardens.

Answer 3

I'm thinking some of the most energy-efficient countries in the world would include your own country of residence, the Netherlands and possibly Switzerland.
If I'm not mistaken, the Netherlands, Denmark and perhaps even Belgium get much of their energy from giant wind generators off their coasts. Switzerland seems to be efficient at everything they do, and I would suspect they would also be efficient in the areas of energy and conservation. -RKO-

Answer 4

I would have to say Japan. Third would countries don't real pay attention to energy use they still burn wood in home made stoves. Where Japan has such a large population in a confined space that it has to make the most of what it has. After all it is the country that started recycling.

Answer 5

We think of power as in heat and cool.
I would have to say the United States and only in one State that Being Alaska. The ones doing it are the Eskimos. They live in such a harsh temp area that they have to be very very efficient with what they use or they die.
Next would have to be Russia in sibera. Same thing here only few people that live there would do it right.

Answer 6

I would guess it's some third-world country that doesn't use any electricity or fossil fuels. They would be the most energy-efficient, since they would only be using manual labor to maintain their society.

Answer 7

The answer is.... Iceland!! They use geo-thermal energy to heat their homes, businesses and gov't buildings, they only import oil for cars and trucks, because it is free energy that bubbles up from the ground naturally, and no waste by-products! :)

Answer 8

iceland.

the most volcanically active country in the world
geothermal energy>

Answer 9

BEING SERIOUS FOR A MOMENT, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY.