In a classic case of “if you don’t like the message, smack the messenger,” a wilting assemblage of global warming denialists has recently taken Al Gore to task for his home electric bill. Here’s the pseudo-scandal in brief: the Tennessee Center for Policy Research, a “think-tank” that, it’s well worth noting, was deemed as, “not a legitimate group,” by the state’s Department of Revenue, somehow dug up Gore’s utility bills and published some startling numbers:

The TCPR claimed that the Gore household consumed in 2006 over 221,000 kilowatt hours of electricity – 20 times the national American household average. The local utility Nashville Electric, who stated that they never received any request for information from TCPR, put the usage figure at 191,000 kilowatt hours, which is still a big number, 18-times the national average and an eye-popping bill of $1,200-a-month.

But there’s more to these numbers than immediately meets the eye, none of which have been mentioned in the media peltings meted out to Gore over the past month.

Let’s take a closer look:

Average Home vs. The Gore House

Annual Electricity Use:
AVG: 10,656 kWh
GORE: ~191,000 kWh
Note: National average: a six year old statistic that includes apartments and mobile homes.

Annual Electric Use
AVG: 15,600 kWh
GORE: ~191,000 kWh
Note: The average in East South Central Climactic zone, where Gore resides.

House Size
AVG: 4,000 sq.ft.
GORE: ~10,000 sq.ft.
Note: Average size of new home built in U.S.

Electric Use per Sq.Ft.
AVG: 19.83 kWh
GORE: ~19.43 kWh
Note: Average of house in East South Central climactic zone.

So it seems that Al and Tipper (and staff, and required security, and visiting family, and frequent guests) use less juice for space than is average in their area. And that’s not even to mention the fact that the Gores pay $5,893 extra per year to their utility to purchase green electricity born of solar, wind, and methane. You can criticize the man’s castle, call it excessive, but he’s a former Veep with security requirements well beyond “average” and a number of businesses and charities operating out of his home. Behind the numbers, there’s a lot less hot air.