Status Report – BIOENERGY
April 23, 2024
SUN DAY CAMPAIGN (founded 1992)
Ken Bossong, Executive Director
8606 Greenwood Avenue, Suite #2
Takoma Park, MD 20912-6656
301-588-4741; sun-day-campaign@hotmail.com
Follow on twitter: @SunDayCampaign
U.S. NET ELECTRICAL GENERATION
Wood, Wood-derived Fuels, and Other Biomass (in gigawatt-hours GWh)
January 1 – December 31, 2023
47,464 – Total (1.12% of total net electrical generation by all sources, inc. small-scale PV)
Source: “Electric Power Monthly” U.S. Energy Information Administration (February 26, 2024) [see Table ES1.B]
January 1 – December 31, 2022
51,847 – Total (1.21% of total net electrical generation by all sources, inc. small-scale PV)
Source: “Electric Power Monthly” U.S. Energy Information Administration (February 26, 2024) [see Table ES1.B]
January 1 – December 31, 2021
54,253 – Total (1.30% of total net electrical generation by all sources, inc. small-scale PV)
Source: “Electric Power Annual” U.S. Energy Information Administration (November 7, 2022)
January 1 – December 31, 2020
54,712 – Total (1.35% of total net electrical generation by all sources, inc. small-scale PV)
Source: “Electric Power Annual” U.S. Energy Information Administration (November 7, 2022)
January 1 – December 31, 2015
64,191 – Total (1.57% of total net electrical generation by all sources, inc. small-scale PV)
Source: “Electric Power Monthly” U.S. Energy Information Administration (February 25, 2016) [see Table ES1.B]
January 1 – December 31, 2010
56,532 – Total (1.37% of total net electrical generation by all sources, inc. small-scale PV)
Source: “Electric Power Monthly” U.S. Energy Information Administration (March 2011) [see Table ES1.B]
INSTALLED GENERATING CAPACITY
(FERC provides data for only utility-scale installations – i.e., >1-MW)
December 31, 2023
14.92 GW (1.16% share of total available installed generating capacity)
Source: “Energy Infrastructure Update” Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (February 15, 2024)
December 31, 2022
15.25 GW (1.21% share of total available installed generating capacity)
Source: “Energy Infrastructure Update” Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (February 7, 2023)
December 31, 2021
15.56 GW (1.25% share of total available installed generating capacity)
Source: “Energy Infrastructure Update” Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (March 8, 2022)
December 31, 2020
15.64 GW (1.29% share of total available installed generating capacity)
Source: “Energy Infrastructure Update” Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (February 8, 2021)
December 31, 2015
16.68 GW (1.43% share of total available installed generating capacity)
Source: “Energy Infrastructure Update” Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (February 2, 2016)
December 31, 2010
13.26 GW (1.17% share of total available installed generating capacity)
Source: “Energy Infrastructure Update” Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (February 4, 2011)
AVERAGE ANNUAL CAPACITY FACTORS
(Capacity factors are a comparison of net generation with available capacity. Data are available only for utility-scale installations.)
Source: “Electric Power Monthly” U.S. Energy Information Administration (February 26, 2024)
2023 (preliminary data)
52.8% – Wood
59.6% – Biomass
2022
57.9% – Wood
60.2% – Other Biomass
2021
59.9% – Wood
63.2% – Other Biomass
2020
57.8% – Wood
62.5% – Other Biomass
2015
59.3% – Wood
62.6% – Other Biomass
2012 (2010 data not available)
61.3% – Wood
63.3% – Other Biomass
NEAR-TERM GROWTH FORECASTS
U.S. Energy Information Administration
Renewable electricity generation in the electric power sector from biomass (i.e., wood + waste) will decrease from 26.7 terawatthours in 2021 to 22.0 terawatthours in 2024 and decline further to 21.6 terawatthours in 2025. Biomass will account for 2.27% of utility-scale renewable electricity generation this year, falling to 2.06% in 2025. Biomass accounted for 2.44% of renewable electricity generation in 2023.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, “Short-Term Energy Outlook” Table 7d. (April 9, 2024)
U.S. Energy Information Administration
Renewable energy electric generating capacity (by biomass wood + waste) in the electric power sector (i.e., power plants larger than 1-MW) will decrease from 6.1-GW at the end of 2021 to 5.2-GW at the end of 2024 but remain at approximately that level through the end of 2025.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, “Short-Term Energy Outlook” Table 7e. (April 9, 2024)
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Additions of utility-scale biomass generating capacity between March 2024 and February 2027 could total 219-MW with 192-MW deemed “high probability additions”. However, these could be mostly offset by 167-MW in projected retirements. If this materializes, biomass’ share of total U.S. installed generating capacity could increase very slightly to 14,850-MW (i.e., 1.08% of total installed generating capacity).
Source: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, “Energy Infrastructure Update” (April 8, 2024)
U.S. Department of Energy
The U.S. could sustainably triple its production of biomass to more than 1 billion tons per year and cover ~15% of future U.S. energy needs, including the power sector. Near-term resources can provide approximately 350 million tons per year of biomass above current uses, which would roughly double the current U.S. bioenergy economy
Source: U.S. Department of Energy, “2023 Billion-Ton Report: An Assessment of U.S. Renewable Carbon Resources” (March 15, 2024)
INSTALLATIONS
Database Earth
The U.S. generates biomass-powered energy from 153 biomass power plants across the country. In total, these biomass power plants have a capacity of 5123.2 MW.
Source: Database Earth, “Biomass Power Plants in United States of America” (date – ??)
EMPLOYMENT
U.S. Department of Energy
Bioenergy used in electric power generation employed 12,850 workers in 2022, up 463 (+3.7%) from 2021.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy, “2023 U.S. Energy and Employment Report” p.52 (June 28, 2023)
Environmental & Energy Study Institute
According to the U.S. Energy & Employment Jobs Report (USEER), the U.S. biomass electrical power industry employs 12,976 people. The industry saw growth in 2018, adding 591 new biomass electric power jobs. There are an additional 29,245 jobs in Combined Heat and Power (CHP) for which the fuels are biomass and natural gas.
Source: Environmental & Energy Study Institute, “Jobs in Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Resilience (2019)” (July 23, 2019)
COST
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
The levelized cost of energy for biopower is $170/MWh (2020$). This assumes a 50-MW plant and a 30-year cost recovery. Regional variations will likely ultimately impact biomass feedstock costs.
Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, “2023 Electricity Annual Technology Baseline” (June 28, 2023)
The Energy Age 