Electric Power and Renewable Energy in Oregon
The charts and statistics on this page show historical trends for electricity consumption in Oregon and the growing production of electricity from renewable energy resources. You can link to the following graphs on this page:
The electric power sector is the fastest growing share of the energy economy in Oregon, the United States, and most of the world. This growth requires considerable investment and planning by power generating companies and state agencies.
Total Electricity Consumption in Oregon
Most economists link electricity consumption directly with economic growth. Analysts at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Information Administration (EIA) project that the U.S. gross domestic product will grow at an average annual rate of 2.9% per year through 2030. And they predict electricity consumption will grow over this same period at a rate of 0.8% per year. That means electric power consumption, and the accompanying infrastructure to produce and deliver electricity, will be about 43% greater in 2030 than it is today.
For Oregon, looking at past consumption trends is one good indicator for projecting growth rates into the future.
Source: Energy consumption by state is taken from the DOE Energy Information Administration State Energy Consumption, Price, and Expenditure Estimates (SEDS database). Note that 2005 is the latest year for which state-by-state data is available from EIA.
Total Electricity Consumption in Oregon 1980 – 2005
(million kWh)
| Oregon electricity consumption in 2005 (million kWh) |
46,457 |
|---|---|
| Percent of U.S. electricity consumption | 1.3% |
| State rank | 28 |
| Average annual increase in Oregon electricity consumption 1980–2005 | 0.8% |
|---|---|
| U.S. growth rate | 2.2% |
| Percent growth state rank | 50 |
Electricity Consumption in Oregon by Sector
The portion of electricity consumed in the major energy consuming sectors can provide energy analysts an indication about where the greatest potential for savings lies.
Oregon Electricity Consumption by Sector 2005
(million kWh)
U.S. Electricity Consumption by Sector 2005
2005 percentage of electricity consumed in:
| Commerce | 33% |
|---|---|
| Percent state rank | 28 |
| Industry | 27% |
| Percent state rank | 28 |
| Homes | 39% |
| Percent state rank | 27 |
Source: EIA SEDS database.
Fuel Sources for Electric Power Generation
Fuel Sources for Electric Power Generation in Oregon in 2005
(trillion Btu)
Fuel Sources for Electric Power Generation in the United States in 2005
The fuel mix used by electric power companies to generate electricity points to the relative carbon intensity in the state electric power sector.
Source: Energy consumption by state is taken from the EIA SEDS database.
Electricity Generation from non-Hydro Renewable Energy Resources
Electricity generation from non-hydroelectric renewable energy resources is also growing rapidly. On a percentage basis, wind and solar energy are the fastest growing sources of electric power generation in the United States and the world. Part of the reason for this large percentage increase is that these resources provide a relatively small percentage of total power generation. For example, wind energy just surpassed 1% of total U.S. electric power generation in 2007, according to the American Wind Energy Association.
Electricity Generation in Oregon from non-Hydro Renewable Energy Resources 2004 – 2006
(million kWh)
| Oregon electricity generation from non-hydro renewable energy resources in 2006 (million kWh) |
1,849 |
|---|---|
| Percent of U.S. renewable power generation | 1.9% |
| State rank | 17 |
Source: EIA publishes pre-report energy production from renewable energy resources by state on its Web page titled Renewable Energy Consumption and Electricity Preliminary 2006 Statistics.
Electricity Generation in Oregon from Biomass 2004 – 2006
(million kWh)
| Oregon electricity generation from biomass in 2006 (million kWh) |
970 |
|---|---|
| Percent of U.S. generation from biomass | 1.74% |
| State rank | 21 |
Electricity Generation in Oregon from Wind 2004 – 2006
(million kWh)
| Oregon electricity generation from wind in 2006 (million kWh) |
880 |
|---|---|
| Percent of U.S. generation from wind | 3.41% |
| State rank | 9 |