U.S. Coal Production Declined by a Record 25 Percent in 2020: EIA

In 2020, seven U.S. states experienced the largest declines in their annual energy production in the last six decades, according to an Aug. 8 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. This is due to the decrease in economic activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Among all the states in the U.S., Wyoming experienced a huge drop in total energy production, a whopping dip of 1.2 quadrillion Btu due to a drop in coal production. U.S. energy production declined by nearly 6 percent, from about 102 quadrillion Btu in 2019 to 96 quadrillion Btu in 2020, the lowest since 2017. Coal production fell by a record 25 percent while renewables saw a modest increase of less than one percent.

Annual Change in Primary U.S. Energy Production in 2020

Coal

• Coal production in 2020 fell by 25 percent to 10.7 quadrillion Btu from its 1998 high of 23.9 quadrillion Btu, the fourth-lowest level since 1962 due to the closing of 151 mines.
• Coal production in Indiana, Kentucky, and Wyoming fell by 37 percent, 33percent, and 21 percent, respectively, while Wyoming saw the maximum decrease in coal production volume by over 1 quadrillion Btu, the most among the states.
• However, in 2021, coal production is expected to increase from its 2020 levels.
• Arizona’s last coal mine in the Black Mesa field was closed in 2019, leading to cease of coal production in the state.

Natural Gas

• Natural gas production in 2020 fell by 0.1 percent to 41.6 quadrillion Btu from a high of 41.7 quadrillion Btu in 2019.
• Oklahoma saw a decrease in marketed natural gas by 0.300 quadrillion Btu because of a fall in shale gas production by 20 percent.
• It is noted that natural gas in 2020 was in high demand compared to coal for power generation due to its low price.

Crude Oil

• Crude oil production in 2020 fell by 8 percent to 23.5 quadrillion Btu from a high of 25.6 quadrillion Btu in 2019.
• Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, crude oil production fell in almost 29 states out of 32 due to less demand for transportation fuels.
• However, New Mexico saw an increase in oil production by 11 percent compared with 2019, the second largest crude oil-producing state in 2021.

Nuclear Energy

• Nuclear energy production in 2020 fell by 2 percent to 8.2 quadrillion Btu from its 2007 high of 8.5 quadrillion Btu.
• The decline in production is due to the closure of nuclear power plants in Massachusetts (Pilgrim) and lowa (Duane Arnoid).

Renewable Energy

• Renewable energy production in 2020 increased by 0.4 percent due to the rise in solar and wind energy production by 19 percent and 13 percent, respectively.
• Overall green energy production increased to 11.6 quadrillion Btu from its 1960 low of 2.9 quadrillion Btu.
• California saw a decline in hydro energy production by 45 percent, the most among any state due to extensive drought.