Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Finally, we can compare industrialized countries and developing countries: in
developing countries—mostly located in the equatorial zone—the climate is milder
and, consequently, less energy is needed for heating purposes. In addition, non-
commercial sources of energy are important in developing countries, particularly
in rural areas where the economy is based on a barter system and not measured in
dollars—a fact that is not captured in graphs like the one shown in
Figure 2.4
.
Energy intensity (I, as below) is defined as the ratio of energy to GDP:
I = E/GDP.
The evolution, over time, of the energy intensity of a country reflects combined
effects of structural changes in the economy (built into the GDP) and changes in
the mix of energy sources and the efficiency of energy use (built into the primary
energy consumed, or E).
