1. Renewable Data Overview

Energy Consumption

Renewable energy increased its market share of the Nation’s energy supply in 1995, contributing 7.6 percent of total energy consumed (Table 1). In 1994, the share was 7.1 percent.

At 6.83 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu), 1995 renewable energy consumption was up by 8.5 percent from 1994 and stood at its highest level since the Energy Information Administration began tracking total renewable energy consumption. The increase was fueled largely by a 17-percent jump in electricity generation from hydroelectric power. Nonhydroelectric renewable energy was essentially unchanged from 1994 levels. Renewable energy consumption has increased at a 2.2-percent annual rate since 1991. Sixty-five percent of total renewable energy consumption was used in generating electricity in 1995, up from 63 percent in 1994 (Tables 2 and 3).

Biomass energy consumption increased by 3.1 percent from 1994 to 1995, somewhat more than the 2.6-percent annual growth rate from 1991 to 1994. Excluding hydropower, biomass accounted for 87 percent of the remaining renewable energy consumption in 1995 (Table 1 and Figure 1). Eighty percent of biomass consumption was used in non-electric applications in 1995, compared with 79 percent in 1994.

Wind energy consumption declined in 1995 to 0.033 quadrillion Btu—down from 0.036 quadrillion Btu in 1994. As a result, the position of wind energy as the fastest-growing source of renewable electricity generation was eroded. From 1990 to 1994, wind energy consumption had grown at a 10.7-percent annualized rate. Retirements of earlier-generation wind energy plants and relatively unfavorable wind conditions were responsible for the decline.

Geothermal energy consumption also dropped in 1995, to 0.325 quadrillion Btu from 0.381 quadrillion Btu in 1994. Production problems at The Geysers (a utility-owned facility in California) were responsible for most of the decline, and industrial generation also dropped.

After 4 years of virtually no growth, solar energy consumption rose by 7 percent in 1995, mostly as a result of record nonutility solar-powered generation. Virtually no solar electricity is generated in the electric utility sector.

The largest increase in renewable energy consumption in 1995 occurred in the electric utility sector as the result of increased hydroelectric generation (Table 3). In the residential and commercial sectors, an increase in residential wood use for heating resulted in a 10-percent increase in renewable energy consumption in 1995.

The distribution of renewable energy consumption by sector in 1995 was as follows: electric utility, 50 percent; industrial, 38 percent; residential and commercial, 10 percent; and transportation, 2 percent.

Renewable electricity generation [11] rose to 415 billion kilowatthours (Table 4), an increase of 12 percent from 1994. Hydroelectricity was mainly responsible for the increase. Net imports of renewable electricity dropped from 29 billion kilowatthours in 1994 to 27 billion in 1995, largely because of a drop in imports of hydroelectricity from Canada.

Nonutility generation from biomass decreased marginally, from 57.4 billion kilowatthours in 1994 to 56.9 billion in 1995. Utility generation from biomass decreased by 17 percent, from 2.0 billion kilowatthours to 1.6 billion kilowatthours.

Both utility and nonutility generation of electricity from geothermal energy decreased in 1995, by a combined total of 2.4 billion kilowatthours. Utility generation accounted for most of the drop, from 6.9 billion kilowatthours in 1994 to 4.7 billion in 1995. Production problems at The Geysers were primarily responsible for the decline. The total U.S. capacity for renewable electricity generation increased slightly in 1995 to 93.9 gigawatts (Table 5).

Solar and Photovoltaic Module Shipments

U.S. shipments of photovoltaic cells and modules rose by nearly 20 percent in 1995, to 31,000 peak kilowatts (see Table 17 in Chapter 6). Over the past 10 years, the annualized rate of increase has been 17 percent. Although unit prices fell, the value of shipments rose from $106 million in 1994 to $118 million in 1995 (see Table F18 in Appendix F).

Solar thermal collector shipments inched up by 1 percent in 1995, to 7.7 million square feet (see Table 17 in Chapter 6). Prices continued to decline, reaching $3.29 per square foot, compared with $3.73 in 1994 (see Table F8 in Appendix F).

Data Characteristics and Caveats

The data included in this report are characterized by certain limitations. Appendix B details the limitations and provides information about the quality of data on renewable energy consumption. In addition, some of the current data are different from the data published in the Renewable Energy Annual 1995. Specifically: (1) electric utility consumption data differ as a result of changes in heat rate conversions; and (2) estimates of electricity trade were revised.

Contact:

Mark Gielecki

mgieleck@eia.doe.gov

Phone: (202) 426-1141

Fax: (202) 426-1280