Related: Biodiesel Imports Plummet 36 Percent
Transportation Sector Driving Renewable Energy Usage
The transportation sector was a big factor in renewable energy growth in the past decade thanks to growing demand for liquid biofuels.

Charts via EIA.

Charts via EIA.
Renewable energy accounted for 9.8% of total domestic energy consumption in 2014, making up the largest share of energy since the 1930s, according to an Energy Information Administration report.
The transportation sector was a big factor in renewable energy growth in the past decade. From 2001 to 2014, the transportation industry experienced the largest percentage growth in renewable consumption thanks to growing demand for liquid biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel. Over the same period usage of renewable energy increased by an average of 5% per year due to growing use of wind, solar, and biofuels.
About 13% of the renewable energy in the U.S. is consumed by the transportation sector, and renewables made up nearly 5% of the sector’s energy consumption in 2014.
Electrical power generation still makes up the biggest percentage of renewable use in the U.S. thanks to its use of sources such as hydroelectric and wind power. The industrial sector used 24% of the nation's renewable energy in 2014 because of its use of biomass such as wood and waste as well as its use of biofuels in the manufacturing process.
Hydroelectricity was the largest source of renewable energy in 2014, but it has actually decreased from its highest levels in the mid-to-late 1990s. Wood was the second largest renewable energy source with recent growth due to demand for wood pellets.
For a complete breakdown of the EIA’s report, click here.
More Green Fleet

EV Charging Use Is Outpacing Infrastructure Growth
ChargePoint’s 2026 Charging Forward Report points to rising charger use, higher-powered charging, commercial vehicle electrification, and energy-management technology. Here’s what fleets should know.
Read More →
Merchants Fleet Reports 290M EV Miles as Fleets Navigate Changing Electrification Market
From millions in operating savings to hundreds of millions of EV miles, Merchants Fleet’s latest report reveals what’s working and what’s changing in fleet electrification.
Read More →
The EV Breakdown Nobody's Talking About: Why Most Electric Vehicle Roadside Calls Aren't Mechanical Failures
Here's why EV breakdowns are widely misunderstood.
Read More →
ChargePoint Now Available in Energy Pass
ChargePoint and additional planned charging network integrations were added to GM's Energy Pass.
Read More →First Look: Slate Auto's Electric Fleet Pickup
Could an affordable, modular EV pickup make electrification more practical for fleets?
Read More →
Slate Debuts Colorful, Unique EV Models
A recent media and client event, studded with electric vehicles dressed up on platforms, planted a new position for the manufacturer in the wider EV market. Fleets will find cost-saving advantages.
Read More →
Slate Electric SUV, Pickup Switchable Model Aims For Light-Duty Fleets
Everything about this EV is counterintuitive and understated, making it stand out from the crowd.
Read More →
Inspiration Mobility Acquires Key Electrada Assets
Inspiration Mobility Group has acquired select assets of Electrada, adding the fleet electrification provider's team, technology, and charging infrastructure development capabilities to its energy management business.
Read More →
Why America’s Most Popular Vehicle is So Hard to Electrify
Turning America’s favorite workhorse electric means balancing range, payload, charging infrastructure, and price, an equation automakers are still trying to solve.
Read More →
