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Oregon relies on energy from a variety of resources. We import energy such as gasoline, natural gas, propane, and other fuels. We use electricity from both in- and out-of-state sources — including hydropower, natural gas, coal, nuclear, wind, and other renewable resources. Learn more
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Energy production focuses on primary and secondary energy produced in Oregon. Primary energy represents energy that is collected from Oregon’s natural resources. Secondary energy is consumed in real time, like electricity, or may be stored for later use, like wood pellets. Learn more
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Profiles for each Oregon county provide residential data related to population, demographics, income, energy and transportation burden, and household characteristics. The profiles paint a picture of how energy is used in each county, along with the nexus between energy and other important community attributes. Learn More
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The transportation sector covers the movement of goods, services, and people—including passenger and commercial vehicles, trains, aircraft, boats, barges, and ships. In 2022, nearly 1.36 billion gallons of gasoline powered vehicles on Oregon roads. That’s over 318 gallons per Oregonian. Learn more.
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In 2022, Oregon spent $19.5 billion on energy, an increase from the recent low of $12.1 billion in 2020. Additionally, Oregonians sent about $11.2 billion in transportation dollars to other states and countries in 2022, which was nearly double the amount from the previous two years. Learn more
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From deadly heatwaves to severe storms to increased wildfire risk, Oregon is no stranger to the negative effects of climate change. Most of Oregon’s greenhouse gas emissions come from the energy we use every day. These GHG emissions contribute to climate change. Learn more
Energy by the Numbers
Energy by the Numbers focuses on the metrics and data available to track how Oregon produces, purchases, and uses various types of energy.
This section includes energy use data on electricity, transportation energy, and direct use fuels by resource and by sector. Where possible, data showing how Oregon’s energy system has changed over time have been included to provide context and history.
We also discuss energy production — where and what kind of energy Oregon produces, where and how we generate electricity, and what direct use and transportation fuels are produced in state.
Readers will find data on what Oregon spends on energy, how some Oregonians experience energy burden, and what the energy industry gives back to Oregon in terms of jobs. The section also demonstrates how energy efficiency continues to serve as an important resource for Oregon.
It concludes with highlights on the four end use sectors: residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation, including energy use, expenditures, and greenhouse gas emissions – and how each sector uses energy to provide goods and services.
Oregon’s Energy Story
Oregon’s energy story has evolved over time to include new technologies, address changes in the availability of different generation resources, and to meet state energy goals. The Pacific Northwest has a long history of using hydropower resources, but 20 years ago, solar- and wind-generated energy was scarce.
Today, Oregon’s energy resources are more diverse. In the chart below, start at the left to see imported energy and energy produced in Oregon. The numbers represent trillions of Btu of energy. The energy lines flow through to show the different types of resources we use – including the energy produced in Oregon and what is imported as direct fuels or electricity – and where they end up in Oregon’s energy story. Listen to Oregon’s Energy Story
Oregon Energy Flow Diagram
The numbers in the diagram represent trillions of Btus of energy. A British Thermal Unit is a measurement of the heat content of fuels or energy sources. Btu offers a common unit of measurement that can be used to count and compare different energy sources or fuels. Fuels are converted from physical units of measurement, such as weight or volume, into Btu to more easily evaluate data and show changes over time. Learn more about the data
Energy Consumption Over Time
Oregon's Total Energy Consumption and Per Capita Energy Consumption Over Time
Oregon saw increased energy use for almost four decades—an average of 4% annual growth from 1960 to 1999. During that time, the state shifted from a reliance on fuel oil and wood to natural gas and electricity in homes and businesses.
Oregon reached its highest energy consumption for stationary and transportation uses in 1999. Since then, total energy use has been decreasing, though recent year alternating increases and decreases may indicate the beginning of a plateau. Energy use in Oregon declined by over 13% between 2000 and 2020 and then increased slightly between 2020 and 2022.
Energy consumption per capita does not directly correlate with overall energy use. In the last 20 years, Oregon’s population has steadily increased while overall energy consumption has slightly declined — driven by energy efficiency savings. This translates to a steady decrease in energy consumption per capita.
Energy Production
Energy production focuses on primary and secondary energy produced in Oregon. Primary energy represents energy that is collected from Oregon’s natural resources — it does not include energy that is imported for consumption or electricity generated in Oregon. Secondary energy is consumed in real time, like electricity, or may be stored for later use, like wood pellets.
Almost all the primary solar, wind, geothermal, and hydro energy is converted to secondary energy as electricity. Some of the biomass is used to make a variety of renewable fuels and some is combusted to produce heat and electricity.
