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| Regional Energy Profile |
| NEW ENGLAND DATA ABSTRACT | ||
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Return to Regional Energy Profiles Home Page CONTENTS: LINKS: New England Appliance Report 2001 New England Residential Energy Map 2000 New England Renewable Potential Map U.S. Census Regions and Divisions Map | Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont make up the New England Census Division in the eastern United States (see U.S. Census Regions and Divisions map). Together, they consumed 3.6 quadrillion Btu of energy in 1997, compared with the U.S. total of 94 quadrillion Btu. Although about half of all New Englanders regard themselves as living in rural areas, in fact most of the population of 13 million lives in metropolitan areas. The three most populous cities are Boston and Worcester in Massachusetts and Providence in Rhode Island. The 1997 gross state product for the New England Division was $0.5 trillion out of a U.S. total of $8.1 trillion. Massachusetts accounted for close to half of the Division total. Known indigenous fossil fuel resources are scarce to nonexistent. Dairy products and nursery and greenhouse crops are the major agricultural products, and mercantile and service, office, and education activities predominate in the commercial sector. Of energy-intensive industry sales in New England, forest products and chemicals account for the largest shares of total sales by those industries. Winter heating fuel supplies and prices are of primary interest in New England, one of the coldest divisions in the country. Fuel oil prevails as the main home heating fuel among the 5.3 million households in the Division, where it is also the most commonly used fuel for space heating in commercial buildings. Summer weather is milder than the U.S. average. Not surprisingly, a much smaller share of households have electric air-conditioning (8 percent in New England, compared with 47 percent nationwide). Per-household demand for electricity for air-conditioning is roughly equal to about one-fourth of U.S. average demand. Median energy expenditures by householders in New England were $1,569 in 1997. The retail price of electricity to households in New England is significantly higher than in the country as a whole. But because fuel oil and natural gas, which are lower-cost fuels, account for a greater share of New England energy use, they bring down the overall costs of energy in the Division. On average, New England households pay about as much per unit of energy as do households nationwide. Useful solar resources for photovoltaic flat-plate collectors exist throughout the Division, and 25 solar roofs have been installed and registered to date. Wind potential is excellent in parts of the Division. The 6-megawatt Searsburg wind turbine in Vermont is the largest currently operating wind energy project in New England. Additional wind energy projects, with a total capacity of 36 megawatts, are planned. All major economic sectors consume biomass. Power plants use wood waste to generate electricity. Commercial ski resorts use wood from sustainably managed forests to fuel their distributed generation. Other businesses and schools use wood-chip-fired heating systems, and wood is used as a fuel for household heating. The transportation sector uses a small amount of biodiesel fuel from agricultural products. Note: The data presented here are the most recent as of June 2000. | |
| NEW ENGLAND DIVISION OVERVIEW | |
| Census region | Northeast |
| Division comprises | Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont |
| Area | 177,766 sq kilometers (68,636 sq miles) |
| Geographic features | Green Mountains, White Mountains, Cape Cod |
| Major minerals | Asbestos, beryl, clay, granite, marble, mica, slate, talc, thorium |
| Most populous cities | Boston MA, Worcester MA, Providence RI |
| Major ports | Boston MA and Portland ME |
| CONNECTICUT OVERVIEW | |
| Governor (June 2000) | John G. Rowland |
| Energy Office | Policy Development and Planning -- Energy, Office of Policy and Management Allan Johanson, Assistant Director |
| Statehood | January 9, 1788 |
| Capital | Hartford |
| MAINE OVERVIEW | |
| Governor (June 2000) | Angus King, Jr. |
| Energy Office | Energy Conservation Division, Department of Economic and Community Development Brian Dancause, Supervisor |
| Statehood | March 15, 1820 |
| Capital | Augusta |
| MASSACHUSETTS OVERVIEW | |
| Governor (June 2000) | Argeo Paul Cellucci |
| Energy Office | Division of Energy Resources, Deparment of Economic Development David L. O'Connor, Commissioner |
| Statehood | February 6, 1788 |
| Capital | Boston |
| NEW HAMPSHIRE OVERVIEW | |
| Governor (June 2000) | Jeanne Shaheen |
| Energy Office | Governor's Office of Energy & Community Services Deborah Schachter, Director |
| Statehood | June 21, 1788 |
| Capital | Concord |
| RHODE ISLAND OVERVIEW | |
| Governor (June 2000) | Lincoln C. Almond |
| Energy Office | Rhode Island State Energy Office Samuel S. Reid, Washington Director |
| Statehood | May 29, 1780 |
| Capital | Providence |
| VERMONT OVERVIEW | |
| Governor (June 2000) | Howard Dean, M.D. |
| Energy Office | Energy Efficiency Division, Vermont Deparment of Public Service Richard Sedano, Commissioner |
| Statehood | March 4, 1791 |
| Capital | Montpelier |
| ECONOMIC PROFILE |
| Figure 1. New England consumed 8 thousand Btu of energy for each dollar of gross state product in 1997. U.S. energy consumption averaged 12 thousand Btu per dollar. |
| NEW ENGLAND | U.S. TOTAL | |
| Population (July 1, 1999) | 13 million | 273 million |
| Gross State Product (1997) | $1.5 trillion | $8.1 trillion |
| Economic growth (1996 to 1997) | 7.1% | 6.2% |
| New privately owned housing units authorized (1998) | 0.05 million | 1.6 million |
| House price-index increase (1994-1999) | 27% | 24% |
| Civilian labor force (Apr. 2000) | 7.2 million | 141 million |
| Unemployment rate (Apr. 2000) | 2.7% | 3.9% |
| Income | ||
| Personal income (1999) | $0.5 trillion | $7.8 trillion |
| Disposable personal income (1999) | $0.4 trillion | $6.6 trillion |
| Personal income per capita (1999) | $34,264 | $28,518 |
| MAJOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT SALES (1997) | NEW ENGLAND | U.S. TOTAL |
(in billions) | (in billions) | |
| Dairy products | $0.6 | $19 |
| Nursery and greenhouse crops | $0.4 | $11 |
| Fruits, nuts, and berries | $0.2 | $13 |
| Poultry and poultry products | $0.2 | $22 |
| Tobacco | $0.1 | $3 |
| Vegetables, sweet corn, and melons | $0.1 | $8 |
| SALES BY SELECTED ENERGY-INTENSIVE INDUSTRY | NEW ENGLAND (1997) | U.S. TOTAL (1996 ESTIMATES) |
| (in billions) | (in billions) | |
| Total energy-intensive industry sales | $35 | $781 |
| Chemicals | $12 | $372 |
| Forest Products | $16 | $267 |
| Steel | $1.1 | $57 |
| Aluminum | $3.6 | $35 |
| Glass | $2.3 | $27 |
| Metal Casting | $0.4 | $23 |
| FOREIGN EXPORTS (1997) | NEW ENGLAND | U.S. TOTAL |
| Major Exports | (in billions) | (in billions) |
| Electric and electronic equipment | $7.6 | $108 |
| Industrial machinery and computers | $7.0 | $128 |
| Chemical products | $4.6 | $66 |
| Scientific and measuring instruments | $3.7 | $39 |
| Transportation equipment | $3.0 | $112 |
| Agricultural products | $1.9 | $28 |
| Energy exports | ||
| Bituminous coal and lignite | $0.3 | $3.4 |
| Crude petroleum and natural gas | $0.02 | $1.7 |
| Refined petroleum products | $0.5 | $7.5 |
| AIR POLLUTANT EMISSIONS (1997) | NEW ENGLAND | U.S. TOTAL |
(in millions) | (in millions) | |
| Carbon monoxide in short tons | 3.3 | 87 |
| Nitrous oxides in short tons | 0.7 | 24 |
| Volatile organic compounds in short tons | 0.7 | 19 |
| Sulfur dioxide in short tons | 0.6 | 20 |
| Particulate matter in short tons | 0.7 | 34 |
| FOSSIL FUEL RESOURCES | NEW ENGLAND | U.S. TOTAL |
| Coal recoverable reserves in short tons (1997) | None | 19 billion |
| Crude oil proved reserves in barrels (1998) | None | 21 billion |
| Dry natural gas proved reserves in cubic feet (1998) | None | 164 trillion |
| RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES (2000) | NEW ENGLAND |
| Solar energy | |
| Solar energy potential for flat-plate collectors | Useful resources |
| Solar energy potential for solar concentrators | Marginal to poor resources |
| Number of installed solar roofs in Million Solar Roofs Registry | 25 |
| Solar school technologies in use (selected examples) | Rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems, passive solar space heat, and daylighting |
| Wind energy | |
| Wind energy potential | Good to excellent in many areas of New England |
| Existing projects | 5 |
| Total existing capacity | 6.42 megawatts |
| Planned projects | 4 |
| Total planned capacity | 35.5 megawatts |
| Geothermal energy | |
| Reservoirs of steam or very hot water | None |
| Moderate-temperature earth energy (suitable for direct use) | Two locations of limited area that roughly follow the coastline |
| Low-temperature earth energy (suitable for geothermal heat pumps) | Throughout New England |
| Biomass (selected examples) | |
| Wood | Wood, from forests and sawmills, consumed at power plants Wood waste consumed at power plants Biomass gasifier Wood-chip-fired heating systems in businesses and schools Wood from sustainably managed forests for distributed generation at ski slopes |
| Other biomass | Biodiesel fuel in city bus fleet |
| Net metering from renewable generation in at least some areas | Yes |
| Figure 2. In all six New England States, distillate fuel accounts for a greater share of petroleum consumption than it does in the United States as a whole. Residual fuel's share of the total is greater in all New England states except Vermont. |
| NEW ENGLAND | U.S. TOTAL | |
| (in quadrillion Btu) | (in quadrillion Btu) | |
| Total energy consumption | 3.6 | 94 |
| Petroleum | 1.8 | 36 |
| Coal | 0.2 | 21 |
| Natural gas | 0.6 | 23 |
| Nuclear electric power | 0.2 | 6.7 |
| Hydroelectric power | 0.2 | 3.9 |
| Biomass | 0.3 | 3.0 |
| Geothermal, wind, and solar | 0.001 | 0.4 |
| Selected petroleum products | (in million barrels) | (in million barrels) |
| Motor gasoline | 141 | 2,926 |
| Distillate fuel | 94 | 1,254 |
| Jet fuel | 12 | 584 |
| Residual fuel | 52 | 291 |
| Liquefied petroleum gases | 11 | 744 |
| Kerosene | 3 | 24 |
| HOUSEHOLD ENERGY (1997) | ||
| HOUSEHOLD ENERGY DEMAND | NEW ENGLAND | U.S. TOTAL |
| Number of households | 5.3 million | 102 million |
| Share of households in rural areas | 53% | 22% |
| Share of households built before 1960 | 55% | 40% |
| Most prevalent main heating fuel | Fuel oil | Natural gas |
| Share of all U.S. households using fuel oil as the main heating fuel | 28% | 100% |
| Total energy demand, excluding electricity losses and wood (Btu) | 0.7 quadrillion | 10 quadrillion |
| Electricity (kilowatthours) | 0.04 trillion | 1.0 trillion |
| Natural gas (cubic feet) | 0.2 trillion | 5.1 trillion |
| Fuel oil (gallons) | 2.4 billion | 7.3 billion |
| Kerosene (gallons) | 110 million | 437 million |
| Liquefied petroleum gases (gallons) | 110 million | 3,937 million |
| Wood (cords) | 1.6 million | 21 million |
| Average demand among households using the specified type of energy | ||
| Electricity (kilowatthours) | 7,062 | 10,219 |
| Natural gas (cubic feet) | 85 thousand | 83 thousand |
| Fuel oil (gallons) | 836 | 730 |
| Kerosene (gallons) | 306 | 126 |
| Liquefied petroleum gases (gallons) | 183 | 488 |
| Wood (cords) | 1.9 | 1.4 |
| HOUSEHOLD ENERGY END USES | NEW ENGLAND | U.S. TOTAL |
| Space heating | ||
| Heating degree-days per household | 6,449 | 4,368 |
| Heated square footage per household | 1,744 | 1,659 |
| Total energy demand (Btu) | 0.4 quadrillion | 5.2 quadrillion |
| Natural gas share | 28% | 70% |
| Fuel oil share | 63% | 16% |
| Electric air-conditioning | ||
| Cooling degree-days per household | 537 | 1,274 |
| Cooled square footage per household | 1,070 | 1,464 |
| Households with electric central air-conditioning | 8% | 47% |
| Households with electric room/wall air-conditioning | 40% | 25% |
| Total electricity demand (kWh) | 1 billion | 122 billion |
| Average electricity demand per household (kWh) | 438 | 1,677 |
| Water heating | ||
| Total energy demand (Btu) | 0.1 quadrillion | 1.9 quadrillion |
| Natural gas share | 36% | 67% |
| Fuel oil share | 55% | 8% |
| Appliances operation and lighting | ||
| Total electricity demand (kWh) | 28 billion | 683 billion |
| Total natural gas demand (cubic feet) | 11 billion | 365 billion |
| Total liquefied petroleum gases demand (gallons) | 28 million | 267 million |
| Average electricity demand per household (kWh) | 5,351 | 6,735 |
| Share of electricity used for refrigerators | 19% | 20% |
| Figure 3. Household fuel costs in New England are higher than in the country as a whole. However, the average cost of a unit of energy is similar because a greater share of New England's consumption is fuel oil, the least expensive fuel on a Btu basis. |
| HOUSEHOLD ENERGY UNIT COSTS | NEW ENGLAND | U.S. TOTAL |
| Energy average cost per million Btu | $13.41 | $13.25 |
| Electricity average cost per kWh | 12.1 cents | 8.5 cents |
| Natural gas average cost per thousand cubic feet | $9.67 | $6.96 |
| Fuel oil average cost per gallon | $0.98 | $0.98 |
| Kerosene average cost per gallon | $1.12 | $1.15 |
| Liquefied petroleum gases average cost per gallon | $1.37 | $1.03 |
| HOUSEHOLD ENERGY EXPENDITURES | NEW ENGLAND | U.S. TOTAL |
| Total energy expenditures | $8.8 billion | $136 billion |
| Electricity | $4.5 billion | $88 billion |
| Natural gas | $1.6 billion | $36 billion |
| Fuel oil | $2.3 billion | $7 billion |
| Liquefied petroleum gases | $0.2 billion | $4 billion |
| Kerosene | $0.1 billion | $0.5 billion |
| Expenditures per household | ||
| Median expenditures | $1,569 | $1,247 |
| Average expenditures | $1,647 | $1,338 |
| Average expenditures among households using the specified type of energy | ||
| Electricity | $854 | $871 |
| Natural gas | $819 | $579 |
| Fuel oil | $822 | $714 |
| Liquefied petroleum gases | $250 | $500 |
| Kerosene | $342 | $144 |
| Average expenditures among households engaged in the specified end use | ||
| Space heating | $699 | $421 |
| Electric air-conditioning | $52 | $140 |
| Water heating | $248 | $196 |
| Appliances operation | $690 | $629 |
| HOUSEHOLD TRANSPORTATION (1994) | ||
| HOUSEHOLD VEHICLE FLEET | NEW ENGLAND | U.S. TOTAL |
| Number of households | 4 million | 85 million |
| Average vehicles per household | 1.9 | 1.8 |
| All household vehicles | 7.6 million | 157 million |
| Sedans | 4.6 million | 100 million |
| Station wagons | 0.7 million | 6.2 million |
| Pickup trucks | 1.2 million | 29 million |
| Sport-utility vehicles | 0.6 million | 9.5 million |
| Minivans, large vans, and other household vehicles | 0.5 million | 12.1 million |
| HOUSEHOLD VEHICLE USE | NEW ENGLAND | U.S. TOTAL |
| Total vehicle-miles traveled | 0.08 trillion | 1.8 trillion |
| Average per household | 20,500 | 21,100 |
| Average per vehicle | 11,100 | 11,400 |
| Motor fuel demand | ||
| Total motor fuel demand (gallons) | 4.1 billion | 91 billion |
| Average per household (gallons) | 1,006 | 1,067 |
| Average per vehicle (gallons) | 542 | 578 |
| On-road fuel economy (miles per gallon) | 20.4 | 19.8 |
| Motor fuel expenditures | ||
| Total expenditures for motor fuel | $4.8 billion | $105 billion |
| Average expenditures for motor fuel among households with vehicles | $1,180 | $1,234 |
| Average expenditures for other household energy among households with vehicles | $1,586 | $1,337 |
| COMMERCIAL ENERGY (1995) |
| Figure 4. Commercial buildings in New England are far more reliant on fuel oil than are commercial buildings elsewhere in the United States. |
| COMMERCIAL BUILDING CHARACTERISTICS | NEW ENGLAND | U.S. TOTAL |
| Building activities | ||
| Top three commercial activities, in terms of floor space | Mercantile and service, office, education | Mercantile and service, office, warehouse and storage |
| Number of buildings | ||
| All commercial buildings | 0.3 million | 4.6 million |
| Electricity demand-metered buildings | 0.1 million | 2.2 million |
| Non-metered buildings | 0.1 million | 2.1 million |
| Amount of floor space | ||
| Total commercial floor space (square feet) | 3 billion | 59 billion |
| Average per building (square feet) | 15 thousand | 13 thousand |
| Share of floor space in buildings | ||
| Constructed before 1946 | 24% | 18% |
| Larger than 200,000 square feet | 18% | 18% |
| With 250 or more workers | 18% | 16% |
| That are continuously open | 17% | 19% |
| Using natural gas | 46% | 65% |
| Using fuel oil | 64% | 25% |
| Using district heat | 7% | 10% |
| Using propane | 27% | 9% |
| COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS ENERGY USE | NEW ENGLAND | U.S. TOTAL |
| Commercial buildings demand | (in quadrillion Btu) | (in quadrillion Btu) |
| Total energy demand | 0.3 | 5.3 |
| Electricity | 0.1 | 2.6 |
| Natural gas | 0.1 | 1.9 |
| District heat | 0.02 | 0.5 |
| Fuel oil | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| Energy demand for major end uses | ||
| Space heating | 0.1 | 1.7 |
| Lighting | 0.05 | 1.2 |
| Water heating | 0.05 | 0.8 |
| Commercial buildings expenditures | (in billions) | (in billions) |
| Total energy expenditures | $4.0 | $70 |
| Electricity | $3.1 | $57 |
| Natural gas | $0.4 | $9.0 |
| District heat | $0.1 | $3.1 |
| Fuel oil | $0.4 | $1.2 |
| COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS ENERGY INTENSITIES | NEW ENGLAND | U.S. TOTAL |
(in thousand Btu per square foot) | ||
| Energy intensity of all major fuels | 87 | 91 |
| Intensity by end use | ||
| Space heating | 38 | 29 |
| Lighting | 16 | 20 |
| Water heating | 15 | 14 |
| Intensity by type of energy | ||
| Electricity | 32 | 46 |
| Natural gas | 51 | 51 |
| Most energy-intensive uses | ||
| Space heating with natural gas | 29 | 29 |
| Lighting with electricity | 16 | 21 |
| * * * * * | ||
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| This report was fact-checked by LaVerne Gilchrist, data analyst, and edited and produced by Christy Hall, mathematical statistician. Specific questions on this report may be directed to:
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