U.S. biomass generation by source 2000-2021

In 2021, the United States generated approximately 37.2 billion kilowatt hours of electricity from wood. The generation decrease between 2000 and 2001 reflects a classification change. Beginning with 2001 data, non-biogenic municipal solid waste and tire-derived fuels were re-classified as non-renewable energy sources.

Bioenergy in the United States

Bioenergy, also referred to as biopower, is energy derived from renewable biological sources. Common sources include wood, wood waste, and byproducts from agricultural processes. Biopower generation in the United States has increased over the last decade reaching 39.85 billion kilowatt hours from wood and wood-derived fuels. Generation from waste sources totaled 18.56 billion kilowatt hours during the same year. In 2018, Florida was the leader among U.S. states in terms of installed biopower electricity capacity, reaching 1,416 megawatts.

Electricity generation from biomass

Biomass is one of the most commonly used sources of biopower, as the fuel is often a byproduct, residue, or waste-product. Solid biomass energy capacity in the United States reached 9,917 megawatts in 2019. In theory, using residue to produce energy minimizes the competition between food and fuel productions, although, this does not necessarily occur in real world situations. In the current industry, there are some agricultural products like corn and soybeans in the U.S. that are grown solely for biofuel production. These products can also be converted into other forms of energy like methane gas and biodiesel. Some 128.9 million metric tons of corn is expected to be produced in the United States in 2025 for ethanol production.