Energy flow in the U.S.

Where does our energy come from? Where does it go?

This graph illustrates the flow from nuclear, natural gas, coal, petroleum, and other energy sources to where it gets used, namely residential, commercial, and industrial consumers and transporation.

The point of this post from the Huffington Post is that petroleum is mostly used for transportation in the U.S., and the author suggests we just need to find an alternative energy source for getting from point A to point B.

Notice also how much energy is lost... almost 60%. Where does it go? A lot of it is lost as electricity flows from power plants to electrical outlets, a lot is lost as heat (think of your car engine).