Texas consumes the most energy, Vermont the least, according to EIA report
The state of Texas consumed more energy than any other state, totaling 13 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) or 13 percent of the total U.S. energy consumption, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) State Energy Data System’s 2015 data estimates for all 50 states and
Washington D.C.
California came in second in total energy consumption, consuming a total of eight quadrillion Btu, which is the equivalent of 8 percent of the nation’s total energy use.
Louisiana, Florida, and Illinois rounded out the top five of energy-using states, respectively. Together, the
top five energy consuming states account for more than one-third of the country’s total energy use.
Additionally, Louisiana, Wyoming, Alaska, North Dakota, and Iowa were the largest users of energy per capita. According to the EIA, high per capita energy consumption is largely attributed to industrial sector energy consumption, which accounts for more than 50 percent of all use among the top five states.
Vermont was the lowest-energy consuming state in 2015, using a total of 132 trillion Btu throughout the year. Washington, D.C., Rhode Island, Delaware, Hawaii, and New Hampshire rounded out the bottom five of EIA’s rankings, which together only accounted for one percent of total U.S. energy use.
Collectively, the United States used approximately 97 quadrillion Btu, a decrease of approximately one percent from the previous year.
Thirty-five states, along with Washington, D.C., used less energy compared to 2014 with seven of the largest decreases seen among Midwestern states including Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, and Missouri.
In per capita usage, New York, Rhode Island, California, Hawaii, and Florida were the lowest users among states, largely due to relatively low industrial sector energy consumption.
