Energy by the Numbers
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 at top right (Oregon Energy Flow Diagram), start at the left to see imported energy and energy produced in Oregon.
The energy lines flow through to show the different types of resources we use – including the energy we produce in Oregon and what we import as direct fuels or electricity – and where they end up in Oregon’s energy story.
The energy we produce and import helps meet various needs, from in-state electricity generation to transportation fuels to the natural gas and electricity that supply homes and businesses. Some energy ultimately goes unused due to system inefficiencies, and some is exported to other states.
The flow to Waste Energy includes all the energy that is not harnessed, from the point of extraction to the point of use. This includes energy lost as heat during combustion or transformation into electricity, transmission losses, and many other factors.
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.
Oregon’s Energy Consumption Over Time
Oregon saw an overall trend of increased energy use for almost four decades—an average of 4% growth per year from 1960 to 1999. During that time, the state shifted from a reliance on fuel oil and wood to an increased use of natural gas and electricity in homes and businesses.
Oregon reached its highest consumption of energy in 1999. Since then, total energy use has been decreasing. The amount of energy used in Oregon declined by 13% between 2000 and 2020. Energy consumption per capita does not directly correlate with overall energy use. In the last 20 years, Oregon has had steady population increase during a period of slight decline in overall energy consumption. See right graph.
At a local Level
Oregon Counties
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.
