Evaluating the Relationship between the Population Trends, Prices, Heat Waves, and the Demands of Energy Consumption in Cities

Katherine S. Fu, Melissa R. Allen and Richard K. Archibald
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Katherine S. Fu: Computer Science and Engineering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
Melissa R. Allen: Computer Science and Engineering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
Richard K. Archibald: Computer Science and Mathematics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA

Sustainability, 2015, vol. 7, issue 11, 1-18

Abstract: The demands of energy consumption have been projected as a key factor that affects an economy at the city, national, and international level. Contributions to total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2012 by various urban sectors include electricity (31%), transportation (28%), industry (20%), agriculture (10%), and commercial and residential (10%). Yet the heavy demands of energy consumption in the cities by residents, commercial businesses, industries, and transportation are important for maintaining and sustaining sufficient economic growth. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between population trends, historical energy consumptions, the changes of average electricity price, average annual temperature, and extreme weather events for three selected cities: New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. These cities are exemplary of, metropolitan areas in the East, Middle, and the Western regions of the U.S. We find that the total energy consumptions of New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles are influenced to various degrees by changes in population, temperature and the average price of electricity and that only one city, Los Angeles, does price significantly affect electricity use. This finding has implications for policy making, suggesting that each city’s climate, size and general economic priorities must be considered in developing climate change mitigation strategies and incentives.

Keywords: climate change; the demands of energy consumption; sustainable business and cities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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