Energy in California

Oil rig from Seal Beach pier, California

Sources of California in-state electricity generation: 2018[1] This accounted for 68% of CA's demand in 2018; the remaining 32% was imported.[1]

  Natural gas (47%)
  Renewables - Solar (14%)
  Renewables - Wind (7%)
  Renewables - Other (Geothermal, biomass, etc.) (11%)
  Large hydro (11%)
  Nuclear (9%)
California in-state electricity generation by source 2001-2020 (ignores imports which made up 32% of demand in 2018, but varies by year) - 2012 is when San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station shutdown; 2017 & 2019 were high rainfall years
California electricity production by type showing seasonal variation in generation

Energy is a major area of the economy of California. California is the state with the largest population and the largest economy in the United States. It is second in energy consumption[2] after Texas.[3] As of 2018, per capita consumption was the fourth-lowest in the United States partially because of the mild climate and energy efficiency programs.[4]

Energy consumption in California is dominated by transportation, due to the high number of motor vehicles and long commutes. California also is responsible for about 20% of total jet fuel consumption in the United States. The second largest energy sector is industry. Energy consumption of the state's residential sector per capita is lower than that of any other state except Hawaii thanks to a relatively mild climate.[5]

California has large energy resources, being among the top producers of oil, hydroelectricity, solar, biomass, and geothermal energy in the United States.

  1. ^ a b "2018 Total System Electric Generation". California Energy Commission. Retrieved August 27, 2020. Source: CEC-1304 Power Plant Owners Reporting Form and SB 1305 Reporting Regulations. In-state generation is reported generation from units one megawatt and larger. Data as of June 24, 2019 ... In 2018, total generation for California was 285,488 gigawatt-hours (GWh), ... in-state generation dropped by 6 percent (11,494 GWh) to 194,842 GWh. ... Net imports increased by 6 percent (4,944 GWh) to 90,648 GWh,
  2. ^ "California - State Energy Profile Overview - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)". www.eia.gov. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  3. ^ "Texas - State Energy Profile Overview - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)". www.eia.gov. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  4. ^ "California - Profile Overview". Energy Information Administration. January 16, 2020. Retrieved September 1, 2020. California's total energy consumption is second-highest in the nation, but, in 2018, the state's per capita energy consumption was the fourth-lowest, due in part to its mild climate and its energy efficiency programs.
  5. ^ "California, State Energy Profile". Official Energy Statistics from the U.S. Government. Energy Information Administration. Archived from the original on December 29, 2010. Retrieved October 2, 2007.