Information: 1. According to the information on the EERE posting, 22% of the U.S. annual electrical energy consumption is for lighting. The amount of energy is 8.2 Quads, (1.0 Quad = 1015 BTU). This is in agreement with the information given in the International Energy Agency (IEA). Assume that the electrical energy is provided by a power plant operating at an efficiency of 30%. The amount of energy that must be provided by a primary source is then equal to E = 8.2Quads/0.30 = 27.3 Quads. That is, 27.3 Quads of energy is required as feedstock in a power plant to provide the energy for lighting. Express the 27.3 Quads in units of million barrels of oil equivalent (Mboe). A units conversion is: 1.0 Quad => 181 Mboe.
Question: What is the annual cost of the energy for lighting to the rate payers of the electrical energy? (assume a rate of $.12/kWh). Note: 1.0 Quad=2.93 x 10^11kWh.