Define energy intensity.

• A. Total energy consumption per person
• B. Energy used per unit of economic output (energy per GDP)
• C. Energy produced per unit of time
• D. Energy stored per household

Answer: (B)

Energy intensity measures how much energy is used to generate economic output. It is defined as energy consumption divided by GDP, showing how efficiently an economy turns energy into goods and services. A lower energy intensity means more economic output per unit of energy, reflecting better energy efficiency or a shift toward energy-intensive, high-value activities becoming less dominant. For example, if a country grows its GDP without a proportional increase in energy use, its energy intensity falls, indicating improved efficiency or structural change in the economy. The other descriptions describe energy use in different contexts—per person (per capita energy use), per unit of time (power), or energy stored in a household—none of which capture the idea of energy used to produce economic output.