The U.S. Energy Information Administration has released updated State Energy Data System estimates showing that the United States consumed nearly 2.31 quadrillion Btu of wood and biomass waste in 2024.
According to the data released on May 1, the industrial sector accounted for more than 64% of total consumption. The residential sector used 16%, followed by the electric power sector at 14% and the commercial sector at 6%, Biomass Magazine reported.
Georgia emerged as the largest consumer of wood and biomass waste in the country during 2024, accounting for nearly 9% of total consumption. Alabama followed with 7%, while Virginia accounted for 5%.
Georgia also led industrial sector consumption, representing nearly 12% of the 1.48 quadrillion Btu used by industries during the year.
The residential sector consumed 358.2 trillion Btu of wood in 2024. Pennsylvania was the leading residential consumer with more than 7% of total residential wood use, closely followed by Michigan.
In the electric power sector, California was the top consumer of wood and biomass waste, accounting for more than 15% of the 320.1 trillion Btu consumed in the sector.
The commercial sector used 143.8 trillion Btu of wood and biomass waste in 2024, with New York leading consumption at 13% of the national total.
The report also showed that the average price of wood and biomass waste in 2024 stood at $3.79 per million Btu.
Residential wood prices averaged $10.45 per million Btu, while prices for commercial, industrial and electric power sectors averaged $3.85, $3.09 and $2.87 per million Btu respectively.
Total spending on wood and biomass waste reached an estimated $6.17 billion in 2024. Of this, the industrial sector accounted for $3.24 billion, followed by the residential sector at $1.61 billion, the electric power sector at $919.1 million and the commercial sector at $403.2 million.
