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State Energy Profile - Delaware

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State Energy Profile for Delaware
Last Update: November 5, 2009
Next Update: November 19, 2009

Delaware Energy Map - If you are unable to view this image contact the National Energy Information Center at 202-586-8800 for assistance

    Delaware Quick Facts

  • The Delaware City petroleum refinery supplies petroleum products to regional markets.
  • Delaware is one of the few States that require the statewide use of reformulated motor gasoline blended with ethanol.
  • Delaware produces no natural gas; two interstate natural gas pipeline systems supply the State.
  • The State’s largest consumer of energy is the industrial sector, in part due to several energy-intensive industries, including petroleum refining, chemical production, and other manufacturing.
  • The Department of the Interior approved the construction of two meteorological towers off the coast of New Jersey and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, that will help map weather patterns for determining the location of an offshore wind farm.




 

Overview

Resources and Consumption

Delaware has few energy resources aside from wind power potential, which is located onshore and offshore along the Atlantic Coast and in the Delaware Bay. Delaware’s population and total energy consumption are among the lowest in the Nation. The State’s largest consumer of energy is the industrial sector, in part because of several energy-intensive industries, including petroleum refining, chemical production, and other manufacturing. Despite these industries, however, Delaware’s overall energy intensity is among the lowest in the Nation.

Petroleum

Delaware has a single medium-sized refinery in Delaware City. Since the State has no crude oil production, the refinery relies on crude oil supplies delivered via the Delaware River. The Delaware City refinery supplies petroleum products to regional markets. Additional petroleum products are supplied to Delaware via shipments received at ports in the Wilmington area and along the Delaware River. Delaware requires the use of reformulated motor gasoline blended with ethanol throughout the State. About one-fifth of Delaware households use fuel oil as their primary energy source for home heating.

Natural Gas

Delaware produces no natural gas and its total natural gas consumption is low. Eastern Shore Natural Gas is the predominant of the two interstate natural gas pipeline systems that supply the State. Delaware’s industry and electricity generating facilities are the largest consumers of natural gas in the State, followed closely by the residential sector. More than one-third of Delaware households use natural gas for home heating.

Coal, Electricity, and Renewables

Delaware’s electricity generation capacity is among the lowest in the Nation. In recent years, coal-fired power plants have accounted for about three-fifths of electricity generation within the State, natural gas-fired plants have accounted for about one-fifth, and petroleum-fired plants have accounted for about one-tenth. Delaware receives its coal supplies primarily by rail from West Virginia, Kentucky, Colorado, and Virginia. More than one-fourth of Delaware households use electricity as their primary energy source for home heating.

Delaware currently produces minimal renewable energy, but plans to increase renewable energy generation are in development. In May 2009, the U.S. Department of the Interior approved Bluewater Wind to build two meteorological towers off the coasts of New Jersey and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, that will allow the company to map weather patterns for determining the location of an offshore wind farm. In July 2007, Delaware expanded its renewable portfolio standard to require that 2 percent of the state’s electricity be generated from solar photovoltaic sources in addition to 18 percent from other renewable sources by 2019.



Data

Economy
Population and Employment Delaware U.S. Rank Period
Population 0.9 million    45
 2008
Civilian Labor Force 0.4 million    45
 Sep-09
Per Capita Personal Income $40,608    13
 2007
Industry Delaware U.S. Rank Period
Gross Domestic Product by State $61.8 billion    40 2008
Land in Farms 0.5 million acres    47
 2007
Market Value of Agricultural Products Sold $1.1 billion    39
 2007

 Prices
Petroleum Delaware U.S. Avg. Period
Domestic Crude Oil First Purchase — $65.28/barrel Aug-09
No. 2 Heating Oil, Residential $2.34/gal $2.37/gal Aug-09 Click to see State rankings
  Regular Motor Gasoline Sold Through Retail Outlets (Excluding Taxes) $2.09/gal $2.12/gal Aug-09 Click to see State rankings
  State Tax Rate on Motor Gasoline
(other taxes may apply) 		$0.23/gal $0.22/gal Aug-08
  No. 2 Diesel Fuel Sold Through Retail Outlets (Excluding Taxes) $2.10/gal $2.12/gal Aug-09 Click to see State rankings
  State Tax Rate on On-Highway Diesel
(other taxes may apply) 		$0.22/gal $0.22/gal Aug-08
Natural Gas Delaware U.S. Avg. Period
  Wellhead — $6.37/thousand cu ft 2007
  City Gate $3.91/thousand cu ft $5.59/thousand cu ft Aug-09
  Residential $25.91/thousand cu ft $15.15/thousand cu ft Aug-09 Click to see State rankings
Coal Delaware U.S. Avg. Period
  Average Open Market Sales Price — $32.06/short ton 2008
  Delivered to Electric Power Sector W $ 2.22 /million Btu Jul-09
Electricity Delaware U.S. Avg. Period
  Residential 14.49 cents/kWh 11.96 cents/kWh Jul-09 Click to see State rankings
  Commercial 12.05 cents/kWh 10.72 cents/kWh Jul-09
  Industrial 9.06 cents/kWh 7.12 cents/kWh Jul-09
       

 Reserves & Supply
Reserves Delaware Share of U.S. Period
  Crude Oil — — 2008
  Dry Natural Gas — — 2008
  Natural Gas Liquids — — 2008
  Recoverable Coal at Producing Mines — — 2008
Rotary Rigs & Wells Delaware Share of U.S. Period
Rotary Rigs in Operation 0 0.0% 2008
Crude Oil Producing Wells 0 0.0% 2008
Natural Gas Producing Wells — — 2007
Production Delaware Share of U.S. Period
  Total Energy 2 trillion Btu 0.0% 2007 Click to see State rankings
  Crude Oil — — Jun-09 Click to see State rankings
  Natural Gas - Marketed — — 2007 Click to see State rankings
  Coal — — 2008 Click to see State rankings
Capacity Delaware Share of U.S. Period
  Crude Oil Refinery Capacity (as of Jan. 1) 182,200 barrels/calendar day 1.0% 2009
  Electric Power Industry Net Summer Capability 3,357 MW 0.3% 2007
Net Electricity Generation Delaware Share of U.S. Period
  Total Net Electricity Generation 444 thousand MWh 0.1% Jul-09 Click to see State rankings
  Petroleum-Fired 18 thousand MWh 0.9% Jul-09
  Natural Gas-Fired 146 thousand MWh 0.1% Jul-09
  Coal-Fired 221 thousand MWh 0.1% Jul-09
  Nuclear — — Jul-09
  Hydroelectric — — Jul-09
  Other Renewables 12 thousand MWh 0.1% Jul-09
Stocks Delaware Share of U.S. Period
  Motor Gasoline (Excludes Pipelines) — — Aug-09
  Distillate Fuel Oil (Excludes Pipelines) — — Aug-09
  Natural Gas in Underground Storage — — Aug-09
  Petroleum Stocks at Electric Power Producers W W Jul-09
  Coal Stocks at Electric Power Producers W W Jul-09
Production Facilities Delaware
  Major Coal Mines None
  Petroleum Refineries Premcor Refining Group Inc (Delaware City)
  Major Non-Nuclear Electricity Generating Plants Hay Road (Conectiv Delmarva Gen Inc) • Indian River Generating Station (Indian River Operations Inc) • Edge Moor (Conectiv Delmarva Gen Inc) • Delaware City Plant (The Premcor Refining Group Inc) • McKee Run (North American Energy Services)
  Nuclear Power Plants None
       

 Distribution & Marketing
Distribution Centers Delaware
Oil Seaports/Oil Import Sites Wilmington
  Natural Gas Market Centers None
Major Pipelines Delaware
Crude Oil None
Petroleum Product Motiva
Liquefied Petroleum Gases None
  Interstate Natural Gas Pipelines Columbia Gas Transmission Corp. • Eastern Shore Natural Gas Co.
Fueling Stations Delaware Share of U.S. Period
Motor Gasoline 373 0.2% 2008
Liquefied Petroleum Gases 2 0.1% 2009
Compressed Natural Gas 1 0.1% 2009
Ethanol 1 0.1% 2009
Other Alternative Fuels 4 0.3% 2009
       

 Consumption

per Capita Delaware U.S. Rank Period
Total Energy 350 million Btu    24 2007 Click to see State rankings
by Source Delaware Share of U.S. Period
Total Energy 302 trillion Btu 0.3% 2007
Total Petroleum 24.7 million barrels 0.3% 2007
    Motor Gasoline 11.0 million barrels 0.3% 2007
    Distillate Fuel 3.0 million barrels 0.2% 2007
    Liquefied Petroleum Gases 1.1 million barrels 0.1% 2007
    Jet Fuel 0.1 million barrels 0.0% 2007
Natural Gas 47,948 million cu ft 0.2% 2007
Coal 2,566 thousand short tons 0.2% 2007
by End-Use Sector Delaware Share of U.S. Period
Residential 66,819 billion Btu 0.3% 2007
Commercial 58,370 billion Btu 0.3% 2007
Industrial 101,118 billion Btu 0.3% 2007
Transportation 75,738 billion Btu 0.3% 2007
for Electricity Generation Delaware Share of U.S. Period
Petroleum 33 thousand barrels 0.9% Jul-09
Natural Gas 1,211 million cu ft 0.2% Jul-09
Coal 103 thousand short tons 0.1% Jul-09
for Home Heating (share of households) Delaware U.S. Avg. Period
Natural Gas 37% 51.2% 2000
Fuel Oil 26% 9.0% 2000
Electricity 26% 30.3% 2000
Liquefied Petroleum Gases 10% 6.5% 2000
Other/None 1% 1.8% 2000
       

 Environment
Special Programs Delaware
Clean Cities Coalitions State of Delaware
Alternative Fuels Delaware Share of U.S. Period
  Alternative-Fueled Vehicles in Use 2,098 0.3% 2007
Ethanol Plants 0 0.0% 2008
Ethanol Plant Capacity 0 million gal/year 0.0% 2008
Ethanol Consumption 988 thousand barrels 0.6% 2007
Electric Power Industry Emissions Delaware Share of U.S. Period
  Carbon Dioxide
7,223,767 metric tons 0.3% 2007 Click to see State rankings
  Sulfur Dioxide
33,667 metric tons 0.4% 2007
  Nitrogen Oxide
12,854 metric tons 0.4% 2007
       
    — = No data reported.    * = Number less than 0.5 rounded to zero.    NA = Not available.    NM = Not meaningful due to large relative standard error or excessive percentage change.    W = Withheld to avoid disclosure of individual company data.
    Click the icon Click to see State rankings next to a data series to see State rankings for that series.

Update on November 5, 2009
New statistics for August 2009:
• Prices of crude oil, residential heating oil, motor gasoline, and diesel fuel
• Prices of city gate and residential natural gas
• Stocks of motor gasoline and distillate fuel oil
• Natural gas in underground storage
New statistics for June 2009:
• Production of crude oil
New statistics for 2008:
• Reserves of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids
New statistics for 2007:
• Total energy production
 
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