**2. Energy consumption**

Energy consumption encompasses the utilization of energy in various forms for meeting human needs and fulfilling societal demands. This includes the utilization of electricity, natural gas, coal, oil, biomass and renewable solar, and wind, hydro, and geothermal energy as well. Energy consumption is directly linked to the prosperity of the world and is at the heart of our modern civilization. However, energy consumption is closely related to environmental problems. For example, carbon dioxide, the by-product of burning of fossil fuels, is the major cause of global warming or climate change [1].

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) publishes the nation's energy consumption and energy sources every year [2]. The US consumes 97.3 quadrillion BTU of energy in 2021, about 5% increase from 2020. A remarkable finding is that the renewable energy portion, including solar, wind, and biomass energy, increases significantly by more than 10%. This increase is consistent with the increasing public awareness of energy consumption and its environmental problems. Sustaining the growing energy consumption in a safe and environmentally responsible way remains a key challenge. Addressing this challenge requires a multifaceted approach that prioritizes the conversion of renewable energy into electricity, efficient energy storage, and sustainable and efficient energy consumption.
