“DOE report finds renewable energy consumption, production growing”

The US Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) recently published its annual summary of U.S. renewable energy production. The report, which includes data from 1999, found that renewable energy consumption increased 3 percent between 1998 and 1999 and accounts for almost 8 percent of total US energy consumption. Hydroelectric power and biomass dominated the renewable energy market, with 49 percent and 44 percent shares, respectively.

According to the report, most of the increase was due to biomass energy consumption, which continued to be led by wood energy, which accounted for 80 percent of the biomass market. The industrial sector had the largest amount of wood consumption followed by the residential sector. Although comprising far less in market share, geothermal and wind energy consumption grew at a more rapid rate. Consumption of energy for hydroelectric power dropped for a second consecutive year.

US renewable electricity generation rose 1 percent in 1999 from 1998. This reflects a decline in hydroelectric generation balanced against growth in electricity generated from other renewable sources. Biomass had the largest absolute increase in generation, but wind power expanded 50 percent in one year, while geothermal increased 14 percent.

The five leading states for renewable generation (in order of importance) in 1999 were Washington, California, Oregon, New York and Idaho. Hydroelectric generation dominated renewable generation in these regions. Combined, these states accounted for 62 percent of the renewable electricity generated in the United States.

The full report is available on EIA’s Web site.

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