Washington's Energy Indicators

4.  Washington’s Energy Bill — End Use Energy Expenditures

ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION, ENERGY EXPENDITURES IN WASHINGTON IN 1995 ARE SIMILAR TO 1980, DESPITE A 37 PERCENT INCREASE IN ENERGY CONSUMPTION DURING THAT PERIOD.

Washingtonians spent $9.4 billion on energy in 1995. While that represents a 60 percent increase over 1980 in nominal terms, when adjusted for inflation the amounts are approximately the same, despite a 37 percent increase in energy consumption. Energy prices have not kept pace with inflation since oil prices peaked in the early 1980s. This period contrasts sharply to the 1970s, when expenditures on energy increased by 150 percent in real terms.

The transportation sector accounts for the largest share of energy expenditures, nearly 50 percent in 1995. This proportion declined, however, from 60 percent in 1980, even as transportation’s share of statewide energy consumption increased. The real price of petroleum fuels has declined significantly since 1980, while the price of electricity, the largest energy source in the residential and commercial sectors, has stayed constant.

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