Nebraska's Renewable Energy Consumption
In 2021, Nebraska consumed 934.12 trillion British thermal units (Btu) of primary energy and 217.40 trillion Btu of energy from renewable energy resources as shown in Figure 1 below.
Renewable resources met 23 percent of Nebraska's energy consumption as shown in the data table below. Nebraska consumed energy from these renewable resources in 2021:
- Biofuels (Fuel Ethanol, Biodiesel, and Losses and Co–products)
- Geothermal Energy
- Hydroelectric Power (Conventional)
- Photovoltaic and Solar Thermal Energy
- Wind Energy
- Wood and Waste
From 1960 to 1980, renewable energy in Nebraska consisted of conventional hydroelectric power and biomass. Ethanol entered the picture in the early 1980s. Geothermal energy and photovoltaic and solar thermal energy projects were reported in the late 1980s. Wind energy projects came on line in the late 1990s. Consumption of renewable energy has steadily increased.
As a percentage of primary energy consumption, renewable energy consumption was relatively stable until 1995 when the percentage began an upward climb. Biofuels had a major role in this increase. Renewable energy consumption has ranged from 2.80 percent to 23.00 percent of total energy consumption. The energy used to produce ethanol and biodiesel and the energy value contained in the dry/wet co–products has been added to the annual data.
This report provides the amount of renewable energy used by Nebraskans. The amount of renewable energy that generated electricity can be found in the report Annual Electricity Generation by Fuel Type.
Renewable Energy Consumption by Fuel Type,
Nebraska, 2020 – 2021
[Trillion British Thermal Units (Btu)]
| Year | Biofuels | Biomass | Geothermal | Hydroelectric Power | Photovoltaic and Solar Thermal | Wind | Total Renewable Energy Consumption | Total Primary Energy Consumption | Renewable Energy Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 115.80 | 4.83 | 1.21 | 9.93 | 0.79 | 84.83 | 217.40 | 934.12 | 23.27% |
| 2020 | 104.15 | 4.72 | 1.21 | 12.19 | 0.68 | 79.91 | 202.86 | 902.15 | 22.49% |
Renewable Energy Consumption by Fuel Type,
Nebraska, 1990 – 2019
[Trillion British Thermal Units (Btu)]
| Year | Biofuels | Biomass | Geothermal | Hydroelectric Power | Photovoltaic and Solar Thermal | Wind | Total Renewable Energy Consumption | Total Primary Energy Consumption | Renewable Energy Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 113.53 | 5.50 | 1.21 | 11.94 | 0.45 | 64.22 | 203.93 | 907.22 | 20.92% |
| 2018 | 120.70 | 5.20 | 1.21 | 12.58 | 0.37 | 50.52 | 193.62 | 955.12 | 20.30% |
| 2017 | 119.53 | 3.97 | 1.21 | 13.72 | 0.22 | 46.84 | 185.61 | 905.38 | 20.80% |
| 2016 | 112.89 | 4.07 | 1.21 | 7.91 | 0.09 | 35.07 | 161.23 | 911.20 | 17.69% |
| 2015 | 107.83 | 4.03 | 1.21 | 15.70 | 0.04 | 29.64 | 158.45 | 940.06 | 16.86% |
| 2014 | 101.94 | 4.68 | 1.21 | 11.01 | 0.04 | 26.03 | 144.91 | 944.41 | 15.35% |
| 2013 | 102.59 | 4.61 | 1.21 | 10.72 | 0.04 | 17.19 | 136.36 | 915.22 | 14.90% |
| 2012 | 103.54 | 3.65 | 1.21 | 11.96 | 0.03 | 12.22 | 132.61 | 861.92 | 15.39% |
| 2011 | 112.79 | 3.88 | 1.20 | 15.71 | 0.03 | 10.21 | 143.82 | 907.64 | 15.85% |
| 2010 | 102.23 | 7.75 | 1.15 | 12.82 | 0.03 | 4.11 | 128.09 | 910.63 | 14.07% |
| 2009 | 69.44 | 7.79 | 1.02 | 4.23 | 0.03 | 3.73 | 86.24 | 817.27 | 10.55% |
| 2008 | 70.35 | 7.36 | 0.88 | 3.41 | 0.03 | 2.11 | 84.13 | 810.80 | 10.38% |
| 2007 | 49.89 | 7.14 | 0.79 | 3.43 | 0.02 | 2.14 | 63.43 | 779.28 | 8.14% |
| 2006 | 36.10 | 6.37 | 0.73 | 8.86 | 0.02 | 2.59 | 54.68 | 736.64 | 7.42% |
| 2005 | 33.10 | 8.04 | 0.67 | 8.71 | 0.02 | 0.97 | 51.51 | 721.23 | 7.14% |
| 2004 | 33.39 | 8.58 | 0.57 | 9.15 | 0.01 | 0.39 | 52.08 | 732.40 | 7.11% |
| 2003 | 26.06 | 8.63 | 0.51 | 10.04 | 0.01 | 0.39 | 45.53 | 705.36 | 6.45% |
| 2002 | 24.31 | 8.24 | 0.38 | 11.16 | 0.01 | 0.08 | 44.19 | 711.77 | 6.21% |
| 2001 | 23.73 | 7.65 | 0.35 | 11.62 | 0.01 | 0.03 | 43.39 | 701.18 | 6.19% |
| 2000 | 22.38 | 5.73 | 0.32 | 15.31 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 43.69 | 689.94 | 6.33% |
| 1999 | 20.76 | 6.00 | 0.32 | 17.58 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 44.61 | 716.22 | 6.23% |
| 1998 | 19.38 | 5.80 | 0.31 | 17.16 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 42.67 | 709.20 | 6.02% |
| 1997 | 18.27 | 6.32 | 0.25 | 17.08 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 41.93 | 695.40 | 6.03% |
| 1996 | 13.84 | 7.77 | 0.22 | 16.56 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 38.42 | 682.73 | 5.63% |
| 1995 | 14.31 | 4.18 | 0.18 | 14.71 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 33.38 | 635.33 | 5.25% |
| 1994 | 6.91 | 4.10 | 0.16 | 13.53 | 0.02 | 0.00 | 24.72 | 582.56 | 4.24% |
| 1993 | 6.11 | 4.27 | 0.15 | 10.33 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 20.86 | 580.28 | 3.59% |
| 1992 | 4.92 | 4.97 | 0.12 | 11.12 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 21.14 | 560.40 | 3.77% |
| 1991 | 3.75 | 4.67 | 0.10 | 10.90 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 19.44 | 568.48 | 3.42% |
| 1990 | 3.30 | 4.46 | 0.08 | 11.86 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 19.71 | 553.29 | 3.56% |
Renewable Energy Consumption by Fuel Type,
Nebraska, 1960 – 1989
[Trillion British Thermal Units (Btu)]
| Year | Biofuels | Biomass | Geothermal | Hydroelectric Power | Photovoltaic and Solar Thermal | Wind | Total Renewable Energy Consumption | Total Primary Energy Consumption | Renewable Energy Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 3.52 | 6.40 | 0.06 | 12.08 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 22.07 | 562.16 | 3.93% |
| 1988 | 2.96 | 6.06 | 0.00 | 13.94 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 22.96 | 568.66 | 4.04% |
| 1987 | 2.83 | 5.68 | 0.00 | 16.33 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 24.83 | 537.27 | 4.62% |
| 1986 | 2.34 | 6.77 | 0.00 | 17.53 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 26.65 | 511.33 | 5.21% |
| 1985 | 2.16 | 7.42 | 0.00 | 15.05 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 24.63 | 494.67 | 4.98% |
| 1984 | 1.62 | 7.20 | 0.00 | 14.04 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 22.85 | 526.83 | 4.34% |
| 1983 | 1.48 | 5.88 | 0.00 | 14.16 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 21.52 | 513.53 | 4.19% |
| 1982 | 0.74 | 6.33 | 0.00 | 12.67 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 19.74 | 533.97 | 3.70% |
| 1981 | 0.30 | 5.30 | 0.00 | 12.51 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 18.11 | 492.79 | 3.68% |
| 1980 | 0.00 | 5.90 | 0.00 | 13.88 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 19.78 | 526.05 | 3.76% |
| 1979 | 0.00 | 3.93 | 0.00 | 12.90 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 16.83 | 582.52 | 2.89% |
| 1978 | 0.00 | 3.79 | 0.00 | 12.30 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 16.10 | 569.77 | 2.82% |
| 1977 | 0.00 | 3.40 | 0.00 | 12.74 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 16.14 | 575.63 | 2.80% |
| 1976 | 0.00 | 3.14 | 0.00 | 13.24 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 16.38 | 561.68 | 2.92% |
| 1975 | 0.00 | 2.77 | 0.00 | 12.62 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 15.40 | 539.41 | 2.85% |
| 1974 | 0.00 | 2.65 | 0.00 | 13.51 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 16.16 | 526.98 | 3.07% |
| 1973 | 0.00 | 2.67 | 0.00 | 14.24 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 16.91 | 505.36 | 3.35% |
| 1972 | 0.00 | 2.58 | 0.00 | 14.24 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 16.82 | 488.24 | 3.45% |
| 1971 | 0.00 | 1.60 | 0.00 | 14.24 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 15.85 | 463.17 | 3.42% |
| 1970 | 0.00 | 1.57 | 0.00 | 14.38 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 15.95 | 462.07 | 3.45% |
| 1969 | 0.00 | 1.60 | 0.00 | 12.93 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 14.53 | 434.06 | 3.35% |
| 1968 | 0.00 | 1.67 | 0.00 | 13.04 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 14.71 | 412.73 | 3.57% |
| 1967 | 0.00 | 1.74 | 0.00 | 12.14 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 13.88 | 378.95 | 3.66% |
| 1966 | 0.00 | 1.85 | 0.00 | 12.11 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 13.96 | 381.08 | 3.66% |
| 1965 | 0.00 | 1.90 | 0.00 | 11.66 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 13.56 | 339.67 | 3.99% |
| 1964 | 0.00 | 2.31 | 0.00 | 10.49 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 12.80 | 345.34 | 3.71% |
| 1963 | 0.00 | 2.57 | 0.00 | 10.63 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 13.20 | 335.70 | 3.93% |
| 1962 | 0.00 | 2.67 | 0.00 | 10.30 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 12.97 | 326.89 | 3.97% |
| 1961 | 0.00 | 2.95 | 0.00 | 9.88 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 12.83 | 314.06 | 4.09% |
| 1960 | 0.00 | 3.11 | 0.00 | 10.32 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 13.43 | 310.02 | 4.33% |
Sources: State Energy Data Report. Energy Information Administration, Washington, DC. Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, Lincoln, NE.
Note: Consumption is listed in Btu to enable totaling all the categories of energy.