EIA Reports Carbon Dioxide Emissions by State

Earlier this week, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released Energy-Related Carbon-Dioxide Emissions by State, 2000-2015, providing data and analysis on state-level carbon dioxide emissions. Emission data in this report is based on the location where the fuel is combusted (e.g. the generator’s location), rather than where the energy is consumed.

The report provides nine data sets and accompanying analysis covering, among other things:

  • Total annual CO2 emissions by state for the years 2000 and 2005-2015;
  • Total CO2 emissions in 2015 by state and fuel type (coal, petroleum, natural gas);
  • Total CO2 emissions for 2015 by state and sector (commercial, electric power, residential, industrial, transportation);
  • Total annual per-capita emissions by state for the years 2000 and 2005-2015;
  • Annual energy intensity (i.e. the amount of energy consumed per unit of economic output) by state for the years 2000 and 2005-2015;
  • Annual carbon intensity (i.e. the energy fuel mix) by state for the years 2000 and 2005-2015;
  • Annual carbon intensity of the economy (i.e. energy intensity and carbon intensity combined) by state for the years 2000 and 2005-2015; and
  • The ten states with the highest per capita emissions and the ten states with the lowest per capital emissions and their net electricity trade values. The index reflects whether a state is a net exporter or importer of electricity.

Notable findings include:

  • Between 2000 and 2015, total carbon emissions declined in 41 states (and in the District of Columbia), but increased in nine states;
  • Out of the three fuels reported on, petroleum had the highest share of carbon dioxide emissions in 2015;
  • The electric power and transportation sectors contribute the highest share of total CO2 emissions in 2015;
  • Wyoming—the second largest producer of energy, but the state with the lowest population density in the lower 48 states—had the highest emissions per capita in 2015;
  • The states with the highest rates of emissions per capita in 2015 also tended to have higher energy-intensity and higher carbon intensity values;
  • States that were net exporters of electricity tended to have higher per capita emissions than those that are net importers.

EIA has also made available the data sets in excel format here.

 

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