Biomass energy production in the United States amounted to 4.84 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) in 2022. Production is expected to slowly increase in the coming decades, reaching an estimated 5.19 quadrillion Btu by 2050.
What is biomass?
Biomass is considered a renewable energy source, but is only carbon neutral if used sustainably. It is made up of plant and animal materials such as wood, food waste, and crops. This energy source can be used to produce heat and electricity, as well as biofuels, such as biodiesel, which are used to power vehicles. The United States is the leading producer of biofuels worldwide.
Power generation
Wood and wood-derived fuels make up the majority of biopower generation in the U.S., accounting for almost 70 percent in 2019. That same year, approximately 40 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity was generated from wood. This accounted for just over five percent of net renewable electricity generation in the U.S.. In comparison, waste generated almost 19 billion kWh.
Biomass energy production in the United States in 2022 with forecast until 2050
(in quadrillion British thermal units)
Characteristic
Production in quadrillion Btu
2050
5.19
2049
5.15
2048
5.11
2047
5.02
2046
4.97
2045
4.93
2044
4.92
2043
4.93
2042
4.91
2041
4.89
2040
4.86
2039
4.84
2038
4.83
2037
4.83
2036
4.82
2035
4.82
2034
4.79
2033
4.78
2032
4.77
2031
4.77
2030
4.77
2029
4.77
2028
4.77
2027
4.88
2026
4.89
2025
4.91
2024
4.96
2023
5.03
2022
4.84
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Includes grid-connected electricity from wood and wood waste; biomass, such as corn, used for liquid fuels production; and non- electric energy demand from wood. Projections are based on the EIA reference case, a business-as-usual trend estimate, given known technology and technological and demographic trends.
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EIA. (July 4, 2024). Biomass energy production in the United States in 2022 with forecast until 2050 (in quadrillion British thermal units) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved July 22, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/264029/us-biomass-energy-production/
EIA. "Biomass energy production in the United States in 2022 with forecast until 2050 (in quadrillion British thermal units)." Chart. July 4, 2024. Statista. Accessed July 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/264029/us-biomass-energy-production/
EIA. (2024). Biomass energy production in the United States in 2022 with forecast until 2050 (in quadrillion British thermal units). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: July 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/264029/us-biomass-energy-production/
EIA. "Biomass Energy Production in The United States in 2022 with Forecast until 2050 (in Quadrillion British Thermal Units)." Statista, Statista Inc., 4 Jul 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/264029/us-biomass-energy-production/
EIA, Biomass energy production in the United States in 2022 with forecast until 2050 (in quadrillion British thermal units) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/264029/us-biomass-energy-production/ (last visited July 22, 2024)
Biomass energy production in the United States in 2022 with forecast until 2050 (in quadrillion British thermal units) [Graph], EIA, July 4, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/264029/us-biomass-energy-production/
