Kentucky near bottom nationally in energy efficiency: Analysis – ABC 36 News – WTVQ

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – The ongoing coronavirus outbreak has changed just about every aspect of people’s lives.

One little-noticed but potentially expensive change has been the amount of time people spend at home and what that does to their energy bills. The same goes for the amount of time people drive — some are getting out and driving more just to be out of the house, others are driving less.

During National Energy Awareness Month, the personal-finance website WalletHub released its report on 2020’s Most & Least Energy-Efficient States (https://wallethub.com/edu/most-and-least-energy-efficient-states/7354/).

To gauge the financial impact of doing more with less energy – the average American household spends at least $2,000 per year on utilities and another $2,094 on motor fuel and oil – WalletHub compared the auto- and home-energy efficiency in 48 U.S. states.

Kentucky doesn’t fare that well, coming it at 41st. According to the analysis, the state ranked:

.       41st – Home Energy Efficiency
.       36th – Vehicle-Fuel Efficiency
.       31st – Transportation Efficiency

Energy is expensive. In fact, it’s one of the biggest household expenses for American consumers. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average U.S. family spends at least $2,000 per year on utilities, with heating and cooling of spaces alone accounting for more than half the bill.

In 2019, the average consumer spent another $2,094 on motor fuel and oil. This year, many Americans can expect their home energy costs to go up, considering the widespread closures of businesses and public places that took place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Residential electricity use has increased.

The Department of Energy estimates adopting energy-efficient measures in the home could reduce a family’s utility costs by as much as 25 percent. It pays to conserve, especially during a time of increasingly warmer temperatures.

As for transportation, the agency found that a more fuel-efficient vehicle could save the average driver about $545 per year.

In order to gauge the impact of doing more with less energy, WalletHub measured the efficiency of auto- and home-energy consumption in 48 U.S. states. Due to data limitations, Alaska and Hawaii were excluded from the analysis.

It’s unclear why Kentucky’s numbers rank so low, whether it’s more older homes in rural areas with lower energe efficiencies, longer drive times, or other factors.

But the state ranks in some interesting company. Just ahead of it is Georgia at number 40 and just below it are Arkansas at 42, Mississippi at 43, Alabama at 44, Louisiana at 45, Tennessee at 46, West Virginia at 47 and South Carolina at 48.

Among other neighboring states, Illinois ranks 12th, Ohio 27th, Indiana 28th, Virginia 34th and Missouri 36th.

Original Source: https://www.wtvq.com/2020/10/14/kentucky-near-bottom-nationally-in-energy-efficiency-analysis/