POWERING UP
Where energy comes from, who consumes it
We use and produce several different types of energy. The Department of Energy groups them into general categories of primary and secondary. Primary includes fossil fuels — petroleum, natural gas, and coal — nuclear energy and renewable sources. Electricity is a secondary energy source that is produced from the primary energy sources.
The source of the information in this article is the U.S. Energy Information Administration. This article has a lot of numbers — an opportunity to use your knowledge of math.
US ENERGY PRODUCTION: U.S. total annual energy production has exceeded total annual energy consumption since 2019. In 2022, production was 102.92 quads and consumption was 100.41 quads. The difference is largely exported.
Primary energy production by sources in 2022:
Natural gas 36% Petroleum 31% Renewable energy 13% Coal 12%
Nuclear electric power 8%
PRIMARY ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN THE U.S.
Energy sources are measured in different units. In the U.S., British thermal units, Btu, is commonly used for comparing types of energy to each other. In 2022, the total U.S. primary energy consumption was 100.41 quadrillion Btu.
36% Petroleum
33% Natural Gas
13% Renewable Energy
37% Biomass (18% Biomass waste, 18% Biofuels, 16% Wood)
29% Wind
18% Hydroelectric
14.2% Solar
1.6% Geothermal
10% Coal
8% Nuclear Electric Power
WHERE OR BY WHO IS THE PRIMARY ENERGY CONSUMED?
The Department of Energy identifies five energy-use sectors in the consumption of energy.
Electric power sector, meaning primary energy is used to produce electric power, then is used by the end-use sectors.
End-use sectors:
Transportation 36% — transporting people or goods: cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, trains, aircraft, boats, barges, and ships
Industrial 35% — facilities and equipment used for manufacturing, agriculture, mining, and construction
Residential 12.3% Commercial 9.6% — offices, malls, stores, schools, hospitals, hotels, warehouses, restaurants, places of worship and public assembly
Within the electric power sector, 35% is electricity sales to the end-use sectors and 65% electrical system energy losses.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ENERGY LOSSES:
Electrical system energy losses are calculated as the difference between total primary consumption by the electric power sector and the total energy content of electricity sales to ultimate customers. Most of these losses occur at steam-electric power plants — conventional and nuclear — in the conversion of heat energy into mechanical energy to turn electric generators. The loss is a thermodynamically necessary feature of the steam-electric cycle. In addition to conversion losses, other losses include power plant use of electricity, transmission, and distribution of electricity from power plants to end-use consumers — also called “line losses” — and unaccounted-for electricity. Overall, about two-thirds of total energy input is lost in conversion.
WHAT IS THE U.S. SHARE OF WORLD ENERGY CONSUMPTION?:
In 2021, U.S. total primary energy consumption was about 98 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu), which was equal to about 16% of total world primary energy consumption of about 603 quadrillion Btu. The United States’ percentage share of world population was about 4% in 2021, and the U.S. had the 10th largest per capita primary energy consumption in the world.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that annual electricity transmission and distribution losses averaged about 5% of the electricity transmitted and distributed in the United States in 2018 through 2022.
ENERGY PRODUCTION RANKINGS:
The highest 6 energy producing countries in 2021 (in quadrillion Btu): China — 134.964
United States — 98.337 Russia — 64.103
Saudi Arabia — 26.586 Canada — 23.406
India — 18.988
The highest 5 have been the same since 2006.
TOTAL ENERGY PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION IN NM, 2021:
In trillion Btu: Consumption 685.14. Production 5,434.50
In 2022, New Mexico was the nation’s second-largest crude oil-producing state after Texas. The state accounted for more than 13% of total U.S. crude oil production.
In 2022, New Mexico was among the top 10 natural gas-producing states (7th) and accounted for 6% of the nation’s total natural gas gross withdrawals. At the end of 2021, New Mexico had almost 6% of U.S. proved natural gas reserves.
In 2022, New Mexico ranked ninth in the nation in electricity generation from wind power. About 35% of New Mexico’s total electricity net generation came from wind in 2022, more than five times the share it contributed in 2015.
HOW MUCH ENERGY DOES A PERSON USE IN A YEAR?
In 2022, total U.S. primary energy consumption per person (or per capita consumption) was about 301 million British thermal units. To understand your energy consumption, see your monthly utility bill or contact your provider. Use this website for “Units and calculators explained” to convert measurements to the same units. www.eia.gov/energyexplained/ units-and-calculators/