Louisiana No. 3 for U.S. energy consumption, No. 4 for production

The Pelican State has long prided itself on being a top producer of energy in the United States, and a new federal analysis of American energy production confirms Louisiana was the nation’s No. 4 overall energy provider as of 2010. But the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s analysis also shows Louisiana is the No. 3 energy consumer. It notes the state’s high overall energy consumption is “driven largely by its industrial sector,” and that Louisiana ranks second only to Texas for total industrial energy consumption. However, Louisiana’s residents are also doing more than their fair share of energy consuming. “Louisiana’s per capita residential electricity consumption is high, due in part to high demand for air-conditioning during the hot summer months and the widespread use of electricity as the primary energy source for home heating,” the analysis says. Wyoming and Alaska are ranked as the top two energy-consuming states. On the production side, Texas ranks No. 1, Wyoming No. 2, and West Virginia No. 3. Apart from its overall consumption and production rankings, Louisiana ranks No. 7 for crude oil production, No. 3 for natural gas production, No. 18 for coal production, No. 15 for total net electricity generation, and No. 14 for carbon dioxide emissions. See an overview of the nation’s energy use and production, as well as all the complete state rankings, here. For a more detailed look at Louisiana’s energy consumption and production, check out its state energy profile here.