Preliminary estimates show increased total U.S. manufacturing energy consumption in 2022
MECS 2022 — Release date: March 20, 2025
Preliminary results from our 2022 Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey (MECS) show that total U.S. manufacturing energy consumption increased 6% between 2018 and 2022. MECS is the only source for national estimates of energy-related characteristics, consumption, and expenditures for manufacturers in the United States.
We conduct the MECS every four years; the previous MECS provided information on the manufacturing sector for 2018. The 11th, and most recent, survey began in 2023 and provides data for calendar year 2022.
Table 1 provides the first preliminary 2022 MECS estimates, which includes total energy consumption by fuel. We count consumption on its first use to avoid double-counting, such as when energy is consumed to produce other forms of energy. For example, when coal is consumed to produce coal coke or when natural gas is consumed in a cogeneration process that generates heat and electricity, we consider these events second use and would not count the related consumption. The table also illustrates the percentage change between 2018 and 2022 in first use of energy for all purposes. Because these data are preliminary, the information may change once the final data and analysis are released later this year.
A schedule of the 2022 MECS release dates is available on the MECS data website.
| Consumption (trillion Btu) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy source | 2022 (preliminary) |
2018 | Percent change from 2018 |
Standard error (percent) |
*= Statistically significant change |
| Total United States | |||||
| Coal | 929 | 857 | 8.40% | 3.83% | * |
| Natural gas | 7,968 | 7,320 | 8.85% | 3.07% | * |
| Net electricity | 2,769 | 2,591 | 6.87% | 4.49% | |
| Purchases | 2,853 | 2,656 | 7.42% | 4.42% | |
| Transfers in | 15 | 24 | -37.50% | 3.74% | * |
| Onsite generation from noncombustible renewable energy | 9 | 4 | 125.00% | 47.80% | * |
| Sales and transfers offsite | 107 | 93 | 15.05% | 5.31% | * |
| Coke and breeze | 268 | 262 | 2.29% | 3.11% | |
| Residual fuel oil | 33 | 59 | -44.07% | 0.85% | * |
| Distillate fuel oil | 81 | 92 | -11.96% | 9.24% | |
| Hydrocarbon gas liquids (HGLs) excluding natural gasoline | 3,120 | 2,898 | 7.66% | 1.74% | * |
| Hydrogen | 170 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Other | 6,085 | 6,224 | -2.23% | 1.44% | |
| Lubricantsa | 245 | 259 | -5.41% | -- | -- |
| Special naphthasa | 58 | 60 | -3.33% | -- | -- |
| Waxesa | 13 | 12 | 8.33% | -- | -- |
| Miscellaneous nonfuel productsa | 183 | 198 | -7.58% | -- | -- |
| Naphtha | 486 | 405 | 20.00% | 0.84% | * |
| Bitumen | 769 | 694 | 10.81% | 5.72% | * |
| Kerosene | 12 | 41 | -70.73% | 1.33% | * |
| Motor gasoline | 7 | 8 | -12.50% | 8.18% | |
| Petroleum coke | 624 | 753 | -17.13% | 1.53% | * |
| Still gas or waste gas | 1,476 | 1,492 | -1.07% | 0.22% | * |
| Pulping liquor or black liquor | 840 | 857 | -1.98% | 0.00% | * |
| Biomass total | 671 | 624 | 7.53% | 3.00% | * |
| Agricultural waste | 100 | 50 | 100.00% | 12.17% | * |
| Wood harvested directly from trees | 24 | 40 | -40.00% | 18.87% | |
| Wood residues and byproducts from mill processing | 538 | 524 | 2.67% | 2.57% | |
| Wood-related and paper-related refuse | 9 | 11 | -18.18% | 3.70% | * |
| Net steam or hot water | 490 | 564 | -13.12% | 3.50% | * |
| Miscellaneous | 211 | 256 | -17.58% | 24.12% | |
| Shipments of energy sources produced onsiteb | 765 | 867 | -11.76% | 0.25% | * |
| Totalc | 20,658 | 19,436 | 6.29% | 1.66% | * |
| Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Demand and Integrated Statistics, Form EIA-846, 2022 Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey, and Office of Energy Production, Conversion & Delivery, Form EIA-810, Monthly Refinery Report for 2022 Notes: Totals may not equal sum of components because of independent rounding. aPreviously, the Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey (MECS) had accounted for energy consumed in petroleum refineries by measuring their own fuel use, assuming shipments of fuel products would later be counted in the industries that use them, and assigning the heat equivalent of the nonfuel products to the petroleum refineries (for a more detailed explanation, see Feedstock and Offsite-Produced Fuel at Petroleum Refineries). Starting with the 2014 MECS, however, EIA began collecting asphalt and petrochemical feedstock data from establishments that use those nonfuel products. These data are included under other. However, miscellaneous nonfuel products (that is, lubricants, solvents, waxes, and special naphthas) from refineries, which are used elsewhere throughout the manufacturing sector as energy, are not collected on the MECS. An estimate of the miscellaneous nonfuel products used in manufacturing was derived using EIA's U.S. Product Supplied for Crude Oil and Petroleum Products data. bShipments of energy sources produced onsite are those shipments produced or transformed onsite from the nonfuel use of other energy sources. For example, at an establishment that processes coal to make coke for later use, the entire quantity of coal is counted as first use. Any onsite consumption of coke is not counted as first use because it would duplicate the coal use. If some of the coke is then sold to another establishment, then that second establishment will consider this coke to be a shipment of an offsite-produced energy source. Hence, the second establishment will count this coke as its first use, thereby resulting in double counting. To eliminate the double counting, the energy equivalent of the coke shipment must be subtracted from first use. cTotal is the sum of all the listed energy sources, including other, minus the shipments of energy sources produced onsite. It is the total amount of first use of energy for all (fuel and nonfuel) purposes. *Statistically significant change. --Estimation is not applicable. Energy source is not included in series. The Census Bureau has reviewed this data product to ensure appropriate access, use, and disclosure protection of the confidential source data (Project No. 7504703, Disclosure Review Board (DRB) approval number: CBDRB-FY25-0054). |
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