Energy by the Numbers: Statistics, Trends, and Key Drivers in the Southeast United States

The Southeast United States accounts for 20% of U.S. energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, with a heavy reliance on fossil fuels (80%) and high per capita electricity use. Rapid population growth is projected to increase energy demand, particularly in electricity generation, which already constitutes 45% of regional energy consumption. The region's dependence on imported fossil fuels exposes it to price volatility and supply disruptions, while its emissions profile makes it a significant global contributor to climate change.

• The Southeast is a major energy consumer, accounting for 20 percent of total U.S. energy consumption in 2006. Its per capita energy consumption is approximately 4.5 times the world average and twice that of Japan and the European Union.
• Regional energy consumption is growing faster than the national average; between 1997 and 2006, it increased by 13 percent, compared to a national increase of 5 percent. This growth is driven by population increases and economic activity, with population projected to grow by 35 percent by 2030.
• The region relies heavily on fossil fuels, which provided approximately 80 percent of total energy consumption as of 2006. Fossil fuel consumption grew by 14 percent between 1997 and 2006, significantly outpacing the national growth rate of 5 percent.
• Electricity generation is the dominant energy-consuming sector in the Southeast, accounting for 45 percent of total energy consumed in 2006. Per capita electricity consumption in the region was 21 percent higher than the national average, driven largely by residential use for heating and cooling.
• The Southeast is a significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, producing approximately 20 percent of U.S. emissions and 4 percent of global emissions (excluding forestry). Energy use, specifically the burning of fossil fuels, drives 90 percent of the region's emissions profile.
• Heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels creates economic and security risks. For example, coal transportation costs can represent up to one-third of delivered costs, and the region is vulnerable to price volatility and distribution disruptions, such as gasoline shortages caused by Hurricanes Ike and Gustav.

APA

Damassa, T. (2009). Energy by the Numbers: Statistics, Trends, and Key Drivers in the Southeast United States. World Resources Institute. https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/pdf/southeast_energy_numbers.pdf

Chicago

Damassa, Thomas. Energy by the Numbers: Statistics, Trends, and Key Drivers in the Southeast United States. World Resources Institute, 2009. https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/pdf/southeast_energy_numbers.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Damassa |first1=Thomas |title=Energy by the Numbers: Statistics, Trends, and Key Drivers in the Southeast United States |publisher=World Resources Institute |date=April 2009 |url=https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/pdf/southeast_energy_numbers.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{damassa2009energy, author = {Damassa, Thomas}, title = {{Energy by the Numbers: Statistics, Trends, and Key Drivers in the Southeast United States}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2009}, month = apr, url = {https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/pdf/southeast_energy_numbers.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }