Regional Energy Profile

WEST NORTH CENTRAL APPLIANCE REPORT  2001

Return to Regional Energy Profiles Return to Appliance Reports Subscribe to Our Listserv for Notice of New Products CONTENTS OF THIS REPORT Air-Conditioning Electric Appliances Gas Appliances U.S. Data Table West North Central Data Table LINKS TO RELATED DATA PRODUCTS West North Central Residential Energy Map West North Central Renewable Potential Map Residential Energy Consumption Survey 2001 Regional Energy Data Sources U.S. Census Regions and Divisions Map West North Central State Pages: Iowa Kansas Minnesota Missouri Nebraska North Dakota South Dakota

The seven midwestern States of the West North Central Census Division -- Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and North and South Dakota -- lie just west of the Mississippi River. Annual precipitation in the Division averages 27 inches, close to the U.S. average of 30 inches, and agriculture is the predominant economic activity. The severe winters in this western part of the U.S. Midwest result in substantial energy demand for space heating. The 7 million households in the West North Central States consumed 0.89 quadrillion Btu of energy, about 9 percent of nationwide household energy consumption of 10.2 quadrillion Btu in 1997 (the most recent year for which data are available). Per-household consumption of energy in the West North Central States was, on average, 23 percent higher in the those States than in the United States as a whole. About 25 percent of household energy consumption in the West North Central States was used to operate air-conditioners and appliances (including refrigerators), compared with 31 percent nationwide. Air-conditioning and electric appliances are found more frequently in West North Central households, tending to increase the share of household energy devoted to running them. The reason that the share of energy consumption devoted to air-conditioning and appliances in the West North Central States is in fact lower, rather than higher, when compared with the United States as a whole, is that winters are colder in the West North Central States. Therefore, a higher percentage of household energy is consumed for space and water heating. AIR-CONDITIONING Air-conditioning is an energy-intensive activity that increases household energy consumption and, despite relatively mild summers in the West North Central States, the incidence of air-conditioning was consistently higher there than in the United States as a whole. From 1980 through 2001, the share of U.S. households with air-conditioning rose from 57 percent to 77 percent (U.S. Data Table). Over the same period, the share of West North Central households rose from 74 percent to 92 percent (West North Central Data Table), a share more closely comparable to shares in southern States than in other other northern States.

Over the past two decades, central air-conditioning has become more common than room air-conditioners in U.S. households. Nationwide, 30 percent of households had room units in 1980 and 23 percent had them in 2001, while the shares for central air-conditioning rose from 27 percent in 1980 to 55 percent in 2001. Similarly, in the West North Central States, 33 percent of households had room units in 1980 and 27 percent had them in 2001, while the shares for central air-conditioning rose from 41 percent to 65 percent. ELECTRIC APPLIANCES Households in the West North Central States, when compared with households across the United States, were more likely to have common, major electric appliances and less likely to have more specialized electric appliances. For example, clothes washers and clothes dryers both were more common in West North Central households throughout the 1980-2001 period. Among the kitchen appliances, West North Central households were more likely to have electric ranges, separate freezers, and two refrigerators (as opposed to just one). West North Central households also were more likely to have microwave ovens. Across the United States, microwave ovens showed the most dramatic increase in absolute market share from 1980 through 2001 of any electric appliance in the EIA survey. The share of microwave ovens in U.S. households rose from 14 percent in 1980 to 86 percent in 2001. Similarly, the share of microwave ovens in West North Central Division rose from 22 percent to 93 percent, the highest of any Census Division. Ceiling fans and dehumidifiers were more common in West North Central households than in U.S. households in every year for which data are available. In 2001, ceiling fans were found in 78 percent of West North Central households, compared with 65 percent of all U.S. households. Dehumidifiers were found in 27 percent of West North Central households, compared with 11 percent of U.S. households. In contrast, West North Central households were not as likely to have some of the specialized electric appliances, such as evaporative coolers and pumps for swimming pools. Evaporative coolers were found in 3 percent of U.S. households in 2001 but in fewer than 0.5 percent of West North Central households. Pool pumps were found in 6 percent of U.S. households but in only 2 percent of West North Central homes. GAS APPLIANCES Gas appliances were about as common in West North Central households as in U.S. households overall during the 1980-2001 period, and the market shares of all gas appliances except ranges stayed fairly stable. For example, the shares of gas clothes dryers fluctuated between 14 percent and 17 percent1 nationwide and between 15 and 21 percent in the West North Central States. In 2001, gas dryers were found in 17 percent of West North Central households and in the same share of U.S. households. The incidence of outdoor gas grills also was similar. In 1980, 11 percent of West North Central households had gas grills, compared with 9 percent of U.S. households. In 1993 (the last year in which the EIA survey collected data on gas grills), the West North Central share of households with gas grills was 30 percent, compared with 29 percent of U.S. households. Unlike the other gas appliances, the market share of gas ranges exhibited a downward trend over time. In 1980, 46 percent of U.S. households had gas ranges; in 2001, 39 percent did. The share of West North Central households with gas ranges also appears to have decreased, from 42 percent of households in 1980 to 36 percent in 2001. However, the difference between the two shares is not statistically significant. ________________ 1Ranges for shares are determined by using rounded values for shares.

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File last modified: July 17, 2003

URL:  http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/reps/appli/w_n_c.html