Americans are buying bigger homes, using more appliances, and firing up more data centers than ever before. You’d expect electricity demand to skyrocket accordingly, but the trend is actually the opposite. Total electricity use in the US has actually declined in the past four out of five years, according to a new government study, and many analysts expect that to continue. There are a number of reasons why, but the change is largely due to gains in energy efficiency: new homes, office buildings, and electrical devices are more efficient than ever, especially now that new lighting standards are being phased in.