Renewables are currently expected to account for more than 26% of U.S. electricity generation in 2026, expanding to 28% in 2027, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, released Jan. 13. Renewables accounted for 24% of electricity generation in 2025.&nbsp;Biomass is currently expected to account for 1.78% of U.S. renewable electricity generation this year, falling to 1.62% in 2027. Biomass accounted for 1.98% of U.S. renewable electricity generation in 2025.&nbsp;Biomass is expected to be used to generate 20.2 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity 2026, falling to 20.1 billion kWh in 2027. Biomass generation was 20.5 billion kWh last year.&nbsp;The electric power sector had an estimated 2.7 billion gigawatts (GW) of waste biomass capacity in place at the end of 2025. That level of capacity is expected to remain at that level in 2026 but expand to 2.8 GW in 2027. The sector also had 2.2 GW of wood biomass capacity in place last year, with that level of capacity expected to be unchanged in both 2026 and 2027.&nbsp;The industrial and commercial sectors had 5.1 GW of wood biomass capacity and 1.3 GW of waste biomass capacity in place at the end of 2025. Those levels of capacity are expected to be maintained this year and next year.&nbsp;The electric power sector is expected to consume 0.153 quadrillion Btu (quad) of waste biomass in 2026, falling to 0.152 quad in 2027. The sector consumed 0.151 quad of waste biomass in 2025. Wood biomass consumption was at 0.165 quad in 2025 and is expected to fall to 0.1578 quad this year and partially rebound to 0.159 quad next year.&nbsp;The industrial sector is expected to consume 0.153 quad of waste biomass in both 2026 and 2027, unchanged from 2025. The sector also consumed 0.321 quad of wood biomass in 2025, with consumption expected to expand to 1.423 quad in 2026 and 1.434 quad in 2027.&nbsp;The commercial sector consumed 0.068 quad of waste biomass last year, with consumption expected to expand to 0.067 quad this year and remain at that level in 2027. Wood biomass consumption was at 0.072 quad in 2025 and is expected to be unchanged in both 2026 and 2027.&nbsp;The residential sector is expected to consume 0.364 quad of wood biomass in both 2026 and 2027, unchanged when compared to 2025.&nbsp;Across all sectors, waste biomass consumption was at 0.373 quad in 2025 and is expected to remain at that level in 2026, falling to 0.372 quad in 2027. Wood biomass consumption was at 1.922 quad in2025 and is expected to expand to 2.016 quad in 2026 and 2.028 quad in 2027.&nbsp;

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EIASTEOJan2026.jpg

Renewables are currently expected to account for more than 26% of U.S. electricity generation in 2026, expanding to 28% in 2027, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, released Jan. 13. 

EIA: Waste biomass power generation capacity expected to expand slightly in 2027

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