Internet responsible for 2 per cent of global energy usage

[Grisu]

those 16 terawatts, what are they? are they really thte global eneregy usage or just the electricity part? I have a hard time believing this figure if you take into account all the energy used that's not electrical (like stuff powered by combustion engines, or the amount of energy every one of our body uses each day, etc.)

 

[El_Machinae]

IIRC, it takes about a kilowatt to produce the food required to keep someone alive in the developed world. I might be wrong. It's something like 1 kW produces 100 watts of food energy that we eat.

 

[emzie]

2% --No way -Computers do not use much electricity --my refrige uses much more. It also runs all day and night.

Your computer might not consume as much electricity as your fridge, but Google's data farm and your ISPs router hub do.

IIRC, it takes about a kilowatt to produce the food required to keep someone alive in the developed world. I might be wrong. It's something like 1 kW produces 100 watts of food energy that we eat.

And? That's a rather standard energy loss in a food chain.