Arkansas Energy Summary
This page provides a summary of energy in Arkansas. 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 Arkansas. 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 Arkansas
(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.
Arkansas has some reserves of fossil fuels, and the state accounts about 1% of U.S. natural gas production. Several major natural gas pipelines pass through the state from Texas and Louisiana and headed to the Midwest.
Read a more complete energy summary for Arkansas, including consumption and production statistics for fossil fuels on the DOE Energy Information Administration (EIA) Arkansas Energy Profile.
| Total energy consumption per capita | 409 (million Btu) |
State rank | 13 |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPAct per capita goal for 2012 | 273.3 (million Btu) |
State rank | 21 |
| Average annual increase in total energy consumption | 0.3% | State rank | 25 |
Electricity
Fuel Sources for Electric Power Generation
(trillion Btu)
Source: EIA SEDS Database.
| Annual growth of electricity consumption | 2.2% | State rank | 28 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity production from nonhydro renewable energy | 1,715 (million kWh) |
State rank | 19 |
Arkansas has a traditional regulated market for electric power. Electricity consumption is growing at 2.2% per year, which is exactly the growth rate for the United States. The industrial sector is the largest electricity consumer and the largest energy-consuming sector of the state economy.
Arkansas ranks among the top 20 producers of electricity from renewable energy, almost all of which is produced from biomass. Read more Arkansas 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 26% of all energy consumption in Arkansas, which makes it the second largest energy-consuming sector of the state economy. Compared with other states, Arkansas is a relatively small consumer of ethanol, biodiesel, and other alternative fuels. In fact, it is the only state that has no requirement for oxygenating motor gasoline with ethanol. You can find data about the consumption of alternative fuels in Arkansas from the DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center.
| Motor gasoline consumption per capita | 523 (gallons) |
State rank | 20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethanol consumption | 0 (gallons) |
State rank | 31 |
| Number of alternative fuel stations | 50 | State rank | 35 |
| Population | 2,772,000 | State rank | 32 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent urban population | 48.3% | State rank | 39 |
| Annual population growth rate | 0.7% | State rank | 24 |
| Per capita personal income | $26,681 | State rank | 48 |
| Gross state product | $91,837 (million) |
State rank | 34 |
Economic and Demographic Facts that Affect Energy Consumption
The following statistics for Arkansas 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
Arkansas 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
The residential and commercial Arkansas Energy Code is based on the 2003 International Energy Conservation Code with state-specific amendments, and is mandatory statewide. The commercial code includes ASHRAE-IESNA 90.1-2001.
Loans for energy efficiency
The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality offers low-interest loans to small businesses to institute pollution control measures required by state or federal law, or to institute pollution prevention and waste reduction measures.
State standards for public buildings for energy efficiency
All state agencies are encouraged to use Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and Green Globes rating systems whenever appropriate for a public building project.
