Renewable are expected to account for 24% of U.S. electricity generation in 2025, increasing to 26% in 2026, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, released Oct. 7. Renewable accounted for 23% of U.S. electricity generation in 2024.
Biomass is expected to account for 1.97% of U.S. renewable electricity generation this year, falling to 1.79% next year. Biomass accounted for 2.16% of renewable electricity generation in 2024.
U.S. biomass power generation was at 50.5 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) last year and is expected to fall to 20.3 billion kWh in 2025 and 20.2 billion kWh in 2026.
The electric power sector had 2.7 gigawatts (GW) of waste biomass capacity and 2.2 GW of wood biomass capacity in place at the end of 2024. Those levels of capacity are expected to remain unchanged in both 2025 and 2026.
The industrial and commercial sector had 5.2 GW of wood biomass capacity and 1.3 GW of waste biomass capacity in place at the end of last year. Those levels of capacity are also expected to be maintained this year and next year.
The electric power sector consumed 0.156 quadrillion Btu (quad) of waste biomass last year. Consumption is expected to fall to 0.151 quad this year and partially rebound to 0.152 quad in 2026. The sector also consumed 0.162 quad of wood biomass in 2024, with consumption expected to fall to 0.161 quad in 2025 and 0.158 quad in 2026.
The industrial sector is expected to consume 0.152 quad of waste biomass this year, falling to 0.151 quad next year. Consumption was at 0.153 quad in 2024. The sector also consumed 1.326 quad of wood biomass last year, with consumption expected to increase to 0.356 quad in 2025 and 1.463 quad in 2026.
The commercial sector is expected to consume 0.067 quad of waste biomass in both 2025 and 2026, down from 0.069 quad in 2024. Wood biomass consumption was at 0.072 quad in 2024 and is expected to be maintained at that level this year and next year.
The residential sector is expected to consume 0.361 quad of wood biomass in both 2025 and 2026, up from 0.358 quad in 2024.
Across all sectors, waste biomass consumption was at 0.379 quad in 2024, with consumption expected to fall to 0.371 quad in 2025 and 0.37 quad in 2026. Wood biomass consumption was at 1.918 quad in 2024 and is expected to expand to 1.951 quad this year and 2.054 quad next year.
