U.S. biomass generation by source 2000-2023

In 2023, the United States generated approximately 31.43 billion kilowatt hours of electricity from biomass. The generation decrease between 2000 and 2001 reflects a classification change. Beginning with 2001 data, non-biogenic municipal solid waste and tire-derived fuels were re-classified as non-renewable energy sources. 

Bioenergy in the United States

Bioenergy, also referred to as biopower, is energy derived from renewable biological sources. Common sources include wood, wood waste, and byproducts from agricultural processes. Biopower generation in the United States has fluxuated over the last decade reaching 47.45 billion kilowatt hours from wood and wood-derived fuels. Generation from waste sources totaled 16.89 billion kilowatt hours during the same year. In 2018, Florida was the leader among U.S. states in terms of installed biopower electricity capacity, reaching 1,416 megawatts.

Electricity generation from biomass

Biomass is one of the most commonly used sources of biopower, as the fuel is often a byproduct, residue, or waste-product. Solid biomass energy capacity in the United States reached 8,986 megawatts in 2023. In theory, using residue to produce energy minimizes the competition between food and fuel productions, although, this does not necessarily occur in real world situations. In the current industry, there are some agricultural products like corn and soybeans in the U.S. that are grown solely for biofuel production. These products can also be converted into other forms of energy like methane gas and biodiesel. Some 16 million metric tons of corn is expected to be produced in the United States in 2030 for ethanol production.