BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
Natural gas consumption in the United States reached a record high 83.1 billion cubic feet/day (Bcf/d), the equivalent of 31 quadrillion Btu, in 2018, Trend reports with reference to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).
As reported, natural gas use rose across all sectors in 2018, primarily driven by weather-related factors that increased demand for space heating during the winter and for air conditioning during the summer.
“As more natural gas-fired power plants came online and existing natural gas-fired power plants were used more often, natural gas consumption in the electric power sector increased 15 percent from 2017 levels to 29.1 Bcf/d. Natural gas consumption also grew in the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors in 2018, increasing 13 percent, 10 percent, and 4 percent compared with 2017 levels, respectively,” reads the report.
This is while the country’s petroleum consumption reached the record high in 2018 since 2007, according to EIA.
“Petroleum consumption in the United States increased to 20.5 million barrels per day (b/d), or 37 quadrillion Btu in 2018, up nearly 500,000 b/d from 2017 and the highest level since 2007. Growth was driven primarily by increased use in the industrial sector, which grew by about 200,000 b/d in 2018. The transportation sector grew by about 140,000 b/d in 2018 as a result of increased demand for fuels such as petroleum diesel and jet fuel,” reads the report.
Reportedly, primary energy consumption in the United States also reached a record high of 101.3 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) in 2018, up 4 percent from 2017 and 0.3 percent above the previous record set in 2007.
The increase in 2018 was the largest increase in energy consumption, in both absolute and percentage terms, since 2010, according to EIA.
“Consumption of fossil fuels—petroleum, natural gas, and coal—grew by 4 percent in 2018 and accounted for 80 percent of US total energy consumption. Natural gas consumption reached a record high, rising by 10 percent from 2017. This increase in natural gas, along with relatively smaller increases in the consumption of petroleum fuels, renewable energy, and nuclear electric power, more than offset a 4 percent decline in coal consumption,” reads the report.
Renewable energy consumption in the United States reached a record high 11.5 quadrillion Btu in 2018, rising 3 percent from 2017, largely driven by the addition of new wind and solar power plants. “Wind electricity consumption increased by 8 percent while solar consumption rose 22 percent. Biomass consumption, primarily in the form of transportation fuels such as fuel ethanol and biodiesel, accounted for 45 percent of all renewable consumption in 2018, up 1 percent from 2017 levels. Increases in wind, solar, and biomass consumption were partially offset by a 3 percent decrease in hydroelectricity consumption.”
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