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Globalist Quiz

Quiz: Americans use HOW much electricity?

David Brancaccio May 9, 2014

It’s international quiz time on the Marketplace Morning Report. Stephan Richter, editor-in-chief of the online international affairs magazine The Globalist brings us a question that will test your knowledge of our energy needs in context. 

The World Economic Forum for Africa wrapped up in Nigeria today, and energy production was a central theme. Richter’s question: How much electricity does the average Nigerian use each year compared to an American? The equivalent of:

  1. A. One American’s air conditioner running in the U.S. all year long.
  2. B. One American’s refrigerator running all in the U.S. all year long.
  3. C. One American’s microwave oven running in the U.S. all year long.
  4. D. One American’s coffee maker running in the U.S. all year long.

Scroll down the page to see the answer — and click play on the audio player above to hear our report about electricity. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANSWER: C. The average American uses 13,000 kilowatt-hours (kwh) per year. That’s quite a bit. A microwave oven consumes 135 kilowatt hours per year. That is 1/100 of the average US energy consumption per person. 

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