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ECONOMIC

Report - The American Presidency Project

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al gas have contributed to the low market prices of these fuels. This situationcoupled with relatively plentiful capital, and advanced technology, permittedrapid growth in conversion of fossil fuels to electric power. In addition, agenerous depletion allowance and low excise tax rates have helped keepdown consumer prices of energy.Low prices and a high rate of economic growth have encourageddomestic consumption of energy to expand. From 1950 to 1972 U.S. grossconsumption of energy increased at an annual rate of 3.5 percent (Table27). In 1972 the United States consumed about one-third of the world'sproduction of energy. Tables 28 and 29 show the distribution of U.S.energy use by sector and by source. Americans have often been accusedof wasting energy, but the low prices prevailing until 1973 provided littlereason to economize in its use. Because the price of labor was rising relativeto the prices of capital and energy, it paid, both in industry and in the home,to substitute capital and energy for labor.TABLE 27 —Gross consumption of energy in natural units, selected years, 1950—72YearTotal(quadrillionsof Btu's)Natural gas(trillions ofcubic feet)Petroleum *(millions ofbarrels perday)Coal 2(millions oftons)Hydropower(billions ofkilowatthours)Nuclear power(billions ofkilowatthours)19501960197034.044.667.45.9412.2721.376.529.8914.704943985251031542530.0.521.81972372.322.4316.4152628254.01 Includes petroleum products refined and processed from crude oil, including still gas, liquefied refining gas, andnatural gas liquids.2 Includes anthracite, bituminous, and lignite coals.3 Preliminary.Note.—Data relate to annual totals unless indicated otherwise.Source: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines.TABLE 28.—Consumption of energy, by user sector and source, 1972[Quadrillions of Btu's]Consumption of energy 1SourceTotalIndustrialTransportationHouseholdandcommercialTotal consumption..PetroleumsNatural gasCoaMElectric power..59.629.819.04.86.023.25.810.64.42.518.118.317.36.7.8 7.6.43.51 Preliminary.2 Includes petroleum products refined and processed from crude oil, including still gas, liquefied refining gas, andnatural gas liquids.3 Includes anthracite, bituminous, and lignite coals.4 Less than 0.05 quadrillions.Note.—While in 1972,18.6 quadrillion Btu's were used for generating electricity, the electricity so generated representedonly 6.0 quadrillion Btu's. This accounts for the difference between 72.3 quadrillion Btu's of gross energy consumptionin Table 27 and 59.6 quadrillion Btu's of consumption by user sector.Detail may not add to totals because of rounding.Source: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines.112

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