Energy Consumption in Nebraska's Industrial Sector

The industrial sector consists of manufacturing, construction, mining, agriculture, and forestry organizations.  Energy used by this sector to transport products to market or inputs to the organizations is included in the transportation sector.

For the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors, a net total or net energy consumption (less electrical system energy losses) is provided to indicate the energy actually consumed by these sectors.  In addition, energy consumed in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity (electrical system energy losses) is allocated to each sector based on the electricity consumed by the sector.  Thus, total energy consumption represents the energy consumed by the sector as well as that used to provide electricity to the sector.

Between 2008 and 2009, industrial sector net energy use decreased 0.3 percent to 232.7 trillion British thermal units (Btu).  Total energy consumption attributed to the industrial sector in 2009 was 301.0 trillion Btu, a decrease of 0.9 percent from 2009.  Natural gas use increased 6.1 percent.  Petroleum use decreased 9.1 percent, coal use decreased 6.9 percent, electricity use decreased 1.2 percent, and renewable energy use decreased 0.8 percent from 2008.  Renewable energy consumption was comprised of ethanol, losses and co–products, and wood and waste.

In 2009, almost all of the industrial sector energy needs were met by natural gas (35 percent), renewable energy (30 percent), petroleum products (17 percent), and electricity (14 percent).  Three (3) percent of the energy consumed in the industrial sector was coal.  Diesel fuel (67 percent), propane (13 percent), asphalt and road oil (12 percent), and motor gasoline (6 percent) made up the majority of the petroleum products consumed by the industrial sector; the rest of the products each comprised less than three percent.

Other petroleum products include sixteen (16) separate products, all of which are assigned to the industrial sector.  The sixteen products are:  aviation gasoline blending components; crude oil; motor gasoline blending components; natural gasoline, including isopentane; pentanes plus; petrochemical feedstocks, naphtha; petrochemical feedstocks, other oils; petrochemical feedstocks, still gas; petroleum coke; plant condensate; special naphthas; still gas; unfinished oils; unfractionated streams; waxes; and miscellaneous. Miscellaneous products vary from inexpensive (absorption oils similar to kerosene) to very expensive (hydraulic fluids) products.  The greater part of the miscellaneous product line consists of finished petrochemicals, especially the aromatic hydrocarbons:  benzene, toluene, and the xylenes.

Sources:  State Energy Data Report.  Energy Information Administration, Washington, DC. Nebraska Energy Office, Lincoln, NE.

Note:  Totals may not equal the sum of the components due to independent rounding.

¹ Other petroleum includes the subtotal of sixteen (16) petroleum products consumed in the industrial sector.

The table and graphs were updated on December 1, 2011.  Typically, there are one to two years between updates.