Alaska Energy Summary
This page provides a summary of energy in Alaska. Here you will find an overview of energy consumption, listing of energy efficiency goals under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct), a summary of the status of renewable energy and energy efficiency policies, and a list of political leaders and state agency administrators who shape energy policy for Alaska. You can link to the following subheadings on this page:
- Executive summary
- Economic and demographic facts that affect energy consumption
- Status of renewable energy and energy efficiency policies
Executive Summary
Total Energy Consumption per Capita 1980 - 2005 and EPAct Goal for Alaska
(million Btu)
Section 123 of EPAct requires states to set an energy conservation goal that is 25% below 1990 consumption. DOE is currently considering a per capita goal among other options.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Information Administration State Energy Price, Expenditure, and Consumption Estimates (SEDS) database. Note, that 2005 is the latest year for which state-by-state data is available.
Alaska contains large reserves of coal and natural gas and is the second largest oil producer among the states. The Prudhoe Bay Oil Field is the largest oil field in the United States, and the Alaska North Slope contains 14 of the 100 largest oil fields in the country. However, the state is not a large consumer because its population is small.
Read a more complete energy summary for Alaska, including consumption and production statistics for fossil fuels on the DOE Energy Information Administration (EIA) Alaska Energy Profile.
| Total energy consumption per capita | 1,194 (million Btu) |
State rank | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPAct per capita goal for 2012 | 796.3 (million Btu) |
State rank | 1 |
| Average annual increase in total energy consumption | 1.9% | State rank | 2 |
Electricity
Fuel Sources for Electric Power Generation
(trillion Btu)
Source: EIA SEDS Database.
| Annual growth of electricity consumption | 3.2% | State rank | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity production from nonhydro renewable energy | 7 (million kWh) |
State rank | 48 |
Alaska has a traditional regulated market for electric power. However, most electricity consumers outside the major cities are not linked to an electric power grid via transmission and distribution lines. Rural communities rely primarily on mini-grids supplied by diesel-electric generators. As a result, Alaskan consumers pay among the highest rates for electricity in the country—50% higher, on average. Nevertheless, electricity consumption is growing much faster in Alaska than in the United States as a whole.
Alaska is endowed with abundant renewable energy resources, but ranks almost last in electricity production from renewable resources because of the lack of a transmission grid to transport power to population centers. DOE is working with the State of Alaska to help coastal villages and small cities obtain electricity from small-scale wind systems. Read more Alaska electric power and renewable energy statistics published by the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Transportation
Motor Gasoline Consumption per Capita 1980 - 2005
(gallons)
Source: EIA SEDS Database.
Transportation accounts for 33% of all energy consumption in Alaska, which makes it the second largest energy-consuming sector of the state economy. About 3% of Alaska's fuel stations carry alternative fuels, which consist mostly of liquid petroleum gas and natural gas. Ethanol and biodiesel are not widely used in Alaska. You can find data about the consumption of alternative fuels in Alaska from the DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center.
| Motor gasoline consumption per capita | 430 (gallons) |
State rank | 44 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethanol consumption | 5,885,913 (gallons) |
State rank | 42 |
| Number of alternative fuel stations | 11 | State rank | 30 |
| Population | 669,000 | State rank | 47 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent urban population | 41.3% | State rank | 44 |
| Annual population growth rate | 2.0% | State rank | 6 |
| Per capita personal income | $35,564 | State rank | 16 |
| Gross state product | $41,105 (million) |
State rank | 46 |
Economic and Demographic Facts that Affect Energy Consumption
The following statistics for Alaska put energy consumption into perspective in the context of the state economy and the size and growth of the population.
Status of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policies
Alaska has the following state-level policies and incentives in place that support the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. The links give detailed explanations of the policies and incentives published online by the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency:
Building energy codes for energy efficiency
Alaska has a mandatory energy code for residential buildings based on the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code with Alaska-specific amendments.
Loans for energy efficiency
The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation offers interest rate reductions to home buyers purchasing new and existing homes with 5-Star and 5-Star-Plus energy ratings, as well as residential and homeowner association loans for energy efficiency improvements. The Alaska Energy Authority offers loans to local utilities, local governments, regional and village corporations, village councils, nonprofit marketing cooperatives, and independent power producers for the development or upgrade of small-scale power production facilities, conservation facilities, and bulk fuel storage facilities.
