Industry Energy Dependence Characteristics Under Different Energy Consumption Accounting Scopes: A Comparison Between China and the U.S.

Energy plays a vital role in the sustainable development of the economy and society. The key measures for achieving sustainable development include optimizing the energy structure, improving energy efficiency, and reducing reliance on non-renewable energy sources. This study constructs a monetary energy consumption database for China that distinguishes between energy resources used as raw materials and those used as other intermediate inputs, based on China’s annual input–output table from 2001 to 2020. In this paper, the direct energy consumption and energy conservation potential of 33 industries in both China and the United States are compared under the following three energy consumption scopes: not excluding energy used as raw materials, excluding energy used as raw materials for the production of non-energy products, and excluding energy used as raw materials for the production of non-energy products or the production of energy products through non-combustion processes. This study also compares the direct energy dependence characteristics of these industries. The following conclusions are made: First, the energy consumption structure varies greatly under different scopes, of which the third scope is closest to the international standards. Second, China’s raw materials industries have made some progress in energy conservation, and their gap with those in the U.S. has started to narrow. Third, China’s high-tech industries still have potential for energy conservation and emission reduction.