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In this post, we are going to take you through some of the main aspects of Connecticut's energy consumption. Most of the data was gathered from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. But since that data can be hard to go through, we are presenting it in this easy to read format. Enjoy!
Major Takeaways
- Connecticut's total energy consumption is 36th in all of the US but drops down to 46th when population is taken into account (2017)
- Connecticut's top three energy sources were natural gas, nuclear, and motor gasoline (2017)
- Connecticut's top three electricity sources were nuclear, natural gas, and biomass (2017)
- Nuclear and natural gas make up over 90% of Connecticut's electricity consumption (2017)
- Renewable energy makes up about 5% of Connecticut's electricity consumption. (2017)
Total Connecticut Energy Consumption
It is important to note that total energy consumption means all forms of energy, not only consumption through electricity but also consumption through things like cars and planes.
Connecticut used an estimated 726.4 trillion BTUs in 2017. This makes them 36th in the US for total energy consumption. However, when population is taken into account, they drop to 46th place with 203 million BTUs per capita.
The U.S. Energy Administration splits this usage into four categories.
What Are Connecticut's Energy Sources
It is important to note that 40.3 trillion BTUs traveled outside of state lines. The total BTUs used by Connecticutcited above (726.4 trillion BTUs) does not include this energy. The above percentages are based on the total 766.7 trillion BTUs. (2017)
Connecticut's top three energy sources were:
- Natural Gas: 246.3 trillion BTUs
- Nuclear: 172.6 trillion BTUs
- Motor Gasoline: 167.3 trillion BTUs
Out of the total energy consumed by Connecticut in 2017, 246.3 trillion BTUs were from natural gas. According to the EIA, Connecticut does not have any fossil fuel reserves, so most of the natural gas that the state uses is shipped from Pennsylvania.
The second highest energy source is nuclear energy at 172.6 trillion BTUs. All of this is provided by the Millston Power Station, the state’s only nuclear power plant. Although nuclear energy does not fall under the "renewable fuel" category, it is still carbon-free, meaning it does not contribute to climate change.
Lastly, 167.3 trillion BTUs of motor gasoline puts it in third place. With transportation taking up making up over 30% of the state's energy consumption, this is not very surprising. 45.2 trillion BTUs of renewable energy are used in Connecticut, with biomass making up a little over 80% of it. Solar and hydroelectric power make up the large majority of the rest.
What Generates Connecticut's Electricity?
The top three energy sources for electricity were:
- Nuclear: 172.6 trillion BTUs
- Natural Gas: 111.7 trillion BTUs
- Biomass: 13.1 trillion BTUs
Out of the total energy Connecticut consumed, 306.8 trillion BTUs were consumed by the electric power sector.
172.6 trillion BTUs of nuclear were used in electricity production in Connecticut, making up just over half of Connecticut's electricity production.
111.7 trillion BTUs of natural gas used toward electricity puts it in second place for electricity production. Natural gas also heats 35.2% of the homes in Connecticut and is likely why it is in first place in regard to the total energy consumed. In a distant 3rd place, we have Biomass at 13.1 trillion BTUs, which pretty much makes up the rest of the electricity production and makes it the primary renewable resource used in Connecticut. Other renewables include hydroelectric, solar, and wind at 3.1, 0.4, and 0.1 trillion BTUs respectively. All in all, renewables make up just over 5% of electricity production in Connecticut.
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