I read a lot of CRS reports. I post a lot of them, each of which I have at least perused. This one is quite remarkable. In a little under 50 pages, with many graphics and tables, it provides an incredible overview of our energy picture in the 21st century. Many of the data come from the U.S. EIA - U.S. Energy Information Agency. I have pasted the first few sections of the report and nothing beyond that.
I have posted just a few of the grahics. Be sure to click on them to enlarge them. They are not in the places they occupy in the report -
Ten authors assembled this remarkable CRS report (16 March 2021) - Melissa N. Diaz (Coordinator), Mark Holt, Kelsi Bracmort, Ashley J. Lawson, Phillip Brown, Michael Ratnerm Richard J. Campbell, Brandon S. Tracy, Corrie E. Clark, and Brent D. Yacobucci: U.S. Energy in the 21st Century - A Primer'.
Download CRS_Report_US_Energy_21Century_Primer_16March2021
Here we go:
Summary
Since the start of the 21st century, the U.S. energy system has changed tremendously. Technological advances in energy production have driven changes in energy consumption, and the United States has moved from being a net importer of most forms of energy to a declining importer—and a net exporter in 2019. The United States remains the second largest producer and consumer of energy in the world, behind China.
Overall energy consumption in the United States has held relatively steady since 2000, while the mix of energy sources has changed. Between 2000 and 2019, consumption of natural gas and renewable energy increased, while oil and nuclear power were relatively flat and coal decreased. In the same period, production of oil, natural gas, and renewables increased, while nuclear power was relatively flat and coal decreased. Overall energy production increased by 42% over the same period.
Increases in the production of oil and natural gas are due in part to technological improvements in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling that have facilitated access to resources in unconventional formations (e.g., shale). U.S. oil production (including natural gas liquids and crude oil) and natural gas production hit record highs in 2019. The United States is the largest producer of natural gas, a net exporter, and the largest consumer.
Oil, natural gas, and other liquid fuels depend on a network of over three million miles of pipeline infrastructure. Increases in fuel production led to a realignment of the U.S. pipeline network, which expanded by an additional 58,000 miles of pipeline between 2004 and 2019, as well as the conversion, reversal, and expansion of existing pipelines. The trajectory of future pipeline development is uncertain due to ongoing permit challenges and litigation for current pipeline expansion efforts.
Coal, used primarily for electricity generation, supplied 23% of electricity generation in 2019, while overall consumption declined by 48% since 2007, in the face of increasing competition from natural gas and renewables. Nuclear power faces significant challenges as a future source of electric power generation with more facilities going offline than coming online since 2000.
The electric power industry faces uncertainty over how to address transmission and reliability within an environment of aging infrastructure, potential cybersecurity threats, and continued interest in renewable energy and other low carbon sources of electricity. Reliability and electricity prices are complicated by environmental regulations, the rising availability of natural gas for electricity generation, and the intermittent nature of renewables.
Renewable energy consumption nearly doubled between 2000 and 2019, primarily due to increased use of wind and solar for electric power generation and biofuels for transportation. New electric power capacity additions for wind and solar have exceeded those for coal and natural gas in four of the last five years. Small-scale solar, which is of particular interest because it rarely requires new transmission infrastructure, can be installed in a variety of geographies, and may financially benefit individuals and communities. Renewables also include hydropower, geothermal energy, and other types of biomass. Each energy product (e.g., heat, electricity, and liquid fuels) derived from these sources has a unique market and policy considerations.
Adoption of energy-efficiency technologies in buildings, transportation, and industry may support policy objectives toward energy security and reducing energy consumption (e.g., consumers saving money, avoiding greenhouse gas emissions). Policy options include mandatory efficiency standards and programs encouraging adoption of existing technologies, among others. Resulting changes in energy consumption may also be impacted by changes in demand for energy services.
While a majority of energy production occurs on nonfederal lands, some production occurs on federal lands. In 2019, energy production on federal lands increased for oil and natural gas, with agencies managing numerous leases for renewable energy production (e.g., solar and wind).
Congress has been interested in energy production and consumption for decades. Current topics of concern to Congress include reliability and resilience, infrastructure, efficiency, exports, imports, prices, energy independence, security, and geopolitics, as well as environmental and climate effects. Legislation has been introduced in both houses of Congress to address these issues and others.
Introduction: Continued Growth
The United States has been an integral part of the global energy sector for many decades. It is a global leader in energy production, consumption, and technology, and its energy market is highly sophisticated. Its energy prices, for the most part, are determined in the marketplace and rise or fall with changes in supply and demand. The United States is a major producer of all forms of energy—oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear power, and renewable energy.Since the beginning of the 21st century, the U.S. energy sector has transformed from a situation of declining production, especially of oil and natural gas, to one in which the United States is a growing producer. Exports of energy are rising while imports are falling. Prices, technology, and regulations have prompted changes in the energy mix.
This report provides an overview of U.S. energy issues, and it serves as an initial resource document for related information, data, and CRS contacts. The report is organized around the major fuels and energy sources used in the United States. It also highlights the role of the federal government, particularly the use of federal lands in energy production. It does not focus on security, research and development, or environmental issues, although those subjects are also critical to the U.S. energy sector.
Issues for Congress
Policy Goals
Energy policy is a perennial concern for Members of Congress. Energy supply and consumption are key drivers of economic activity. There is ongoing debate over U.S. energy policy given the wide range of possible energy sources; their availability in terms of domestic vs. foreign resources, the economic costs and benefits of developing those resources; and the effects (economic, environmental, social, etc.) of their use. Additionally, environmental policy also has an effect on the energy sector, especially fuel use.The United States has access to a wide range of energy sources, including fossil fuels (e.g., coal, petroleum, and natural gas), nuclear, and renewables (e.g., wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal, biomass). In addition, increases in energy efficiency have allowed the United States to consume less energy over time, extending existing supplies. Different U.S. sectors employ different sources. For example, nuclear energy is used exclusively in electric power generation, along with other sources, while the transportation sector is largely dependent on petroleum in the form of gasoline, diesel fuel, and jet fuel. However, the energy profile has changed dramatically in recent years. Coal had been the predominant fuel for electric power generation for decades, but between 2000 and 2019, natural gas use in power generation grew by 163%. Over the same time, non-hydroelectric renewable energy grew by 495%. There is a growing market for electric passenger vehicles, although they do not yet represent a significant share of transportation energy use.
The shift in energy use over time has led to a decrease in total U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Since peaking in 2007, annual emissions have decreased roughly 2% through the end of 2019.3 Much of this decrease has been a result of changes in the electricity sector, where coal use has decreased, replaced by lower-carbon natural gas and renewable generation. The economic downturn in 2008-2009 also played a role as energy consumption is correlated with economic activity.
COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent response have upended many of the ways that businesses, schools, and households operate day to day. Economic activity, which partly drives energy consumption, has declined. These factors have led to significant shifts in how Americans consume energy. For example, U.S. consumption of petroleum products (including gasoline and diesel fuel) fell by more than 30% from the start of 2020 through mid-March of 2020. Annual petroleum consumption decreased by 12% from 2019 to 2020. EIA projects consumption to remain below 2019 levels in 2021 and fully recover in 2022. Likewise, some areas of the country saw decreases in electricity demand as businesses were shut down in response to COVID-19 mitigation. Across the United States, electricity consumption decreased by 3.8% in 2020, while EIA forecasts an increase of 2.1% in 2021 relative to 2020. It is uncertain whether any of these changes in energy supply and use will continue after the pandemic, or whether the U.S. energy system will return to the trends of previous years.Legislation
Energy policy has often been legislated in large bills that deal with a wide variety of issues, with debate spanning several sessions. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005; P.L. 109-58) was a comprehensive general legislation, with provisions and authorizations in almost all areas of energy policy. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA, P.L. 110-140) set new target fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks, and expanded the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). EISA also included energy efficiency standards for appliances and other equipment, and provisions on industrial and building efficiency, which have continued to be of interest to Members.In the 116th Congress, both the House and Senate debated large energy bills. S. 2657, the American Energy Innovation Act of 2020,8 was considered by the Senate starting March 5, 2020. On March 9, a cloture motion on the bill failed on a 15-73 vote. The bill incorporated language from several energy and mineral bills reported by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. H.R. 4447, the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act, was passed by the House on September 24, 2020. The bill incorporated language from several energy and mineral bills introduced and/or reported by various House committees. Provisions from S. 2657 and H.R. 4447 were incorporated into the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260). Division Z, the Energy Act of 2020, promotes increased energy efficiency in homes, schools, and federal buildings; expands research and development in nuclear energy, energy storage, electric vehicles, renewable energy, and carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS); and promotes energy storage development.
Read on and enjoy! First day of Spring in the northern hemisphere!
"Young man, In mathematics you don't understand things. You just get used to them. " - John von Neumann
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