ELECTRIC POWER

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 31, 5 August 1930, Page 4

ELECTRIC POWER

THL V WORLD'S TOTAL

AMERICA EASILY FIRST

The United States ranks first among alt nations in the production of electric power, contributing 41 per cent, of tho total electricity generated by all the countries combined, according to a survey just completed by the investment banking firm of Pynchon and. Co., says the "New York Times." Germany ranks second in the amount of electricity produced, generating about 11 per cent, of the world total, while Canada was third with 6 per cent. Great Britain and France are practically tied for fourth place. "Just how much is invested in the world's electric power plants is, of course, largely a matter of conjecture," the survey says, "but in the knowledge thy t in tho United States it now exceeds 11,000,1)00,000 dollars, it may be assumed that at least a 25,000,000,000-dol-lar investment has been made in order to lighten the burdens and aid the progress of the world at large. "The world's electric light and power bill, also a matter of conjecture, may roughly be estimated at an annual rate of around 4,000,000,000 dollars. Hero again definite information is lacking, but with the United States as .a basis it is believed that a total aggregate annual output of 300,000,000,000 kilowatt-hours or more would produce at least this amount.

"The lead which Americans have attained in adopting that which the electrical age has to offer for their own ueeds and benefits may best be shown in the statement that the average per capita production of electricity in the United States now is in excess of 813 kilowatt-hours annually, against which there is Germany's per capita rate of more than 450 kilowatt-hours and Great Britain's of 330 kilowatt-hours. Canada, with A relatively small population and enormous hydro-cleetric development, has a per capita consumption for all purposes averaging 1815 kilowatthours. What is regarded as the world's highest average consumption >per residence is reported from "Winnipeg as 3741 kilowatt-hours, this city using largo quantities of electricity for house and water-heating and cooking."

AMERICAN FINANCE. Much, of the electric power expansion abroad is being accomplished by means of American financing, tho total volume being estimated at between 800,000,000 and 1,000,000,000 dollars, the survey says, nor does this investment of American funds apply to any particular country, but extends around the globe. The survey gives the following approximation of electric power production and of capital investment in tho electric light and power industry in the principal countries of the world, as at the close of 1929. All figures arc in millions, the investments being given in dollars. Kilowatt Electric ; Hours Plant Produced. Investment. 1929. Dec. 31, '29 United States 125,000 11.045 Germany 54.000 2,700 Canada 18,000 1.000 Great Britain 10,200 l,i>oo France 13,500 — Japan 11,501) «00 Italy 9,800 a 4 3 Norway 5.500 — Hussla 6,500 — | Switzerland -5,520 312 Sweden 8.000 — Belgium 4.45G — * China 3,050 110 Spain 3,000 — Poland 2,(500 — Austria 2,500 — South Africa 1,900 85 Australia ...' l.flOO 73 O.echo-Slovakia .... 1,700 — " Mexico 1,400 130 Holland 1,400 — Brazil .■ 1,200 — ! Argentina 030 — Hungary 750 30 Chile 400 — Cuba SOO — Denmark ~ 300 150 Uruguay 125 .15 Ireland ■ r... 100 20 Peru SO — Lithuania .......... : 15 2 Iceland ~...' 10 — The estimated world production of electric power for 1929 was 300,000,000,000 kilowatt hours, against 260,000,000,000 in 1928 and 230,000,000,000 in 1927. Tho figures for 192G and 1925 were placed at 206,000,000,000 and 184,000,000,000 respectively. Industry in the Unitei] States is about 75 per cent, electrified, while Germany is about 70 per cent, and Great Britain about 50 per cent. j