  We study the energetics of nonthermal electrons produced in small
acceleration episodes in the solar corona. We carried out an extensive survey
spanning 2004--2015 and shortlisted 6 impulsive electron events detected at 1
AU that was not associated with large solar flares(GOES soft X-ray class $>$
C1) or with coronal mass ejections. Each of these events had weak, but
detectable hard Xray (HXR) emission near the west limb, and were associated
with interplanetary type III bursts. In some respects, these events seem like
weak counterparts of "cold/tenuous" flares. The energy carried by the HXR
producing electron population was $\approx 10^{23}$ -- $10^{25}$ erg, while
that in the corresponding population detected at 1 AU was $\approx
10^{24}$--$10^{25}$ erg. The number of electrons that escape the coronal
acceleration site and reach 1 AU constitute 6 % to 148 % of those that
precipitate downwards to produce thick target HXR emission.
