Energy intensities for Canada

Abstract

The gross domestic product (GDP) measures the value of goods and services produced in a country in one year. There is a close relationship between the GDP and energy supply (and consumption). This relationship is a good indication of the level of economic development of a country. The GDP per capita is often used to measure the living standard of a country. Measures of the total energy use are useful for addressing energy intensity issues. Energy use is a numerator in determinating energy intensities. A commonly used and frequently quoted measure of energy use is the ratio of energy expenditure to GDP. Two types of energy intensities, namely TPES/GDP and TFC/GDP, are useful tools in making comparisons for both energy and GDP projections for countries. In this article we present evaluations and future projections for energy resources and energy intensities for Canada. The total primary energy supply (TPES) and total final energy consumption (TFEC), and energy intensities for supply and consumption are analyzed. The energy data are presented and analyses of the differences in energy and GDP ratios are carried out at an aggregate level by examining differences in factors affecting the energy intensities. In order to provide accurate projections for the future, new correlations were developed between the GDP, TPES, TFEC, TPES/GDP, TFEC/GDP, and population of Canada.