North Dakota has the highest residential energy consumption, per capita, of any state in the US. New York's consumption is 47th on the list. Given that New York has a larger population, which choice offers one possible explanation for this difference?

Question

Responses
A New York's large urban populations are denser, which makes heating costs lower per capita.New York's large urban populations are denser, which makes heating costs lower per capita.
B North Dakota has a mostly rural population, and this makes heating and cooling costs higher.North Dakota has a mostly rural population, and this makes heating and cooling costs higher.
C New York uses large amounts of energy gathered from wind, solar, and other renewable sources.New York uses large amounts of energy gathered from wind, solar, and other renewable sources.
D North Dakota's winters are harsher than New York's, which drives up heating costs per capita.

Answer 1

The best choice to explain the difference in residential energy consumption per capita between North Dakota and New York is:

D: North Dakota's winters are harsher than New York's, which drives up heating costs per capita.

This is a plausible explanation as colder climates typically require more energy for heating, leading to higher residential energy consumption per capita.