We study the energy transfer rate for electrons in two parallel quantum wires due to interwire Coulomb interactions. The energy transfer rate between the wires (similar to the Coulomb drag effect in which momentum transfer rate is measured) is calculated as a function of temperature for several wire separation distances. We employ the full wave vector and frequency dependent random-phase approximation at finite temperature to describe the effective interwire Coulomb interaction. We find that the energy transfer rate at intermediate temperatures (i.e.,T∼0.3EF)is dominated by the collective modes (plasmons) of the system. Nonlinear effects on the energy transfer rate is also explored. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.