Tennessee Energy Summary
This page provides a summary of energy in Tennessee. 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 Tennessee. 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 Tennessee
(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.
Tennessee has few reserves of fossil fuels, but has significant capacity from hydroelectric facilities. The state is one of the largest hydropower producers east of the Mississippi River.
Read a more complete energy summary for Tennessee, including consumption and production statistics for fossil fuels on the DOE Energy Information Administration (EIA) Tennessee Energy Profile.
| Total energy consumption per capita | 390 (million Btu) |
State rank | 16 |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPAct per capita goal for 2012 | 284.3 (million Btu) |
State rank | 18 |
| Average annual increase in total energy consumption | 0.1% | State rank | 29 |
Electricity
Fuel Sources for Electric Power Generation
(trillion Btu)
Source: EIA SEDS Database.
| Annual growth of electricity consumption | 1.3% | State rank | 48 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity production from nonhydro renewable energy | 451 (million kWh) |
State rank | 36 |
Tennessee has a traditional regulated market for electric power. The federally administered Tennessee Valley Authority owns almost all the electric power generation in the state. Electricity consumption is growing at a rate of 1.3% per year, which is slightly more than half the rate for the United States. The population is growing more slowly than the national average.
Most of the nonhydro renewable power generation is from biomass. The American Wind Energy Association lists 29 megawatts of installed wind generating capacity at the end of 2007. Tennessee Valley Authority owns and operates the wind installations, which are located in Anderson County, about 25 miles northwest of Knoxville. Read more Tennessee 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 28% of all energy consumption in Tennessee, which makes it the second largest energy-consuming sector of the state economy, after industry. You can find data about the consumption of alternative fuels in Tennessee from the DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center.
| Motor gasoline consumption per capita | 522 (gallons) |
State rank | 21 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethanol consumption | 0 (gallons) |
State rank | 17 |
| Number of alternative fuel stations | 111 | State rank | 40 |
| Population | 5,989,000 | State rank | 16 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent urban population | 68% | State rank | 29 |
| Annual population growth rate | 1.0% | State rank | 21 |
| Per capita personal income | $30,969 | State rank | 36 |
| Gross state product | $238,029 (million) |
State rank | 18 |
Economic and Demographic Facts that Affect Energy Consumption
The following statistics for Tennessee 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
Tennessee 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
Tennessee is a home-rule state, which leaves adoption and enforcement of building energy codes up to the local jurisdictions. The state recommends local jurisdictions adopt the 2000 International Energy Conservation Code with 2001 Amendments.
Grants for renewable energy
Tennessee has a grant program for businesses to install renewable energy systems at their facilities.
Loans for energy efficiency
Tennessee’s Local Government Energy Efficiency Loan Program offers low-interest loans to municipal and county governments for energy efficiency projects. Tennessee also offers low-interest loans to small businesses for energy efficiency projects.
