In 2016, Nebraska consumed 911.20 trillion British thermal
units (Btu) of primary energy which included 161.23 trillion Btu of energy from
renewable energy resources as shown in Figure 1 below.
Renewable resources met 18 percent of Nebraska's energy consumption as shown in Figure 2 and also the data table below. Nebraska consumed
energy from these renewable resources in 2016:
- Biofuels
- Biomass
- Geothermal Energy
- Hydroelectric Power (Conventional)
- Photovoltaic and Solar Thermal Energy
- Wind Energy
Renewable energy consumption was equivalent to over 90,000 cords of wood, 856
gigawatthours of conventional hydroelectric power, 86,016,000 gallons (or 2.048
million barrels) of ethanol (including denaturant), 112.9 trillion Btu of ethanol production and
co–products, 3,798 gigawatthours of wind energy, 1.2 trillion Btu
of geothermal energy, and 4 gigawatthours of solar energy.
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 although modestly.
As a percentage of total 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 16.87 percent of total energy consumption. The energy used to produce ethanol
and the energy value contained in the dry/wet co–products of ethanol 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. The number of vehicles consuming renewable fuels can be found in the report The Number of Registered Vehicles in Nebraska by the Fuel Consumed.
