In the United States, electricity derived from coal has decreased over the past two decades, with the annual output declining by almost 65 percent between 2010 and 2024. In contrast, there has been a rise in natural gas and renewable sources within the energy mix. How is electricity generated in the U.S.? Most electricity in the U.S. is generated from steam turbines, which can be powered by fossil and nuclear fuels, biomass, geothermal, and solar thermal energy. Other systems such as gas turbines, hydro turbines, wind turbines, and solar photovoltaics are also major generation technologies. Electric utilities in the U.S. generated more than 2,241 terawatt hours in 2024, accounting for just over half of the power output in the country that year. Growing renewable capacity Renewable sources have become more prominent in the U.S. over the past years, particularly wind, hydro, and solar energy. The former has overtaken conventional hydropower, becoming the leading renewable energy source in the U.S. since 2019. Wind and solar power have also accounted for the largest share of electricity capacity additions in the country in recent years.

Throughout the past decade, the United States has been notably decreasing its use of coal, and increasing the use of natural gas and renewable energy sources for electricity generation. In 2024, natural gas was by far the largest source of electricity in the North American country, with a generation share of 43 percent. Renewable energy's share amounted to 24 percent that year.

State-level data on all energy sources. Data on production, consumption, reserves, stocks, prices, imports, and exports. Data are collated from state-specific data reported elsewhere on the EIA website and are the most recent values available. Data on U.S. territories also available.

In the United States, the cost of electricity generation from natural gas in 2024 recovered from a high of 8.23 U.S. dollars per million British thermal units recorded in 2022. In Q1 2025, the price stood at 4.3 U.S. dollars per million British thermal units.

New York Electric Generation By Fuel Type, GWh dataset provides data on total electricity requirements and in-state generation for New York State in giga-watt hours. Sources of electricity include coal, natural gas, petroleum products, hydro, nuclear, waste, landfill gas, wood, wind, solar, and net imports of electricity. How does your organization use this dataset? What other NYSERDA or energy-related datasets would you like to see on Open NY? Let us know by emailing OpenNY@nyserda.ny.gov.

United States US: Electricity Production From Coal Sources: % of Total data was reported at 34.233 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 39.651 % for 2014. United States US: Electricity Production From Coal Sources: % of Total data is updated yearly, averaging 51.846 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2015, with 56 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 57.679 % in 1988 and a record low of 34.233 % in 2015. United States US: Electricity Production From Coal Sources: % of Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Energy Production and Consumption. Sources of electricity refer to the inputs used to generate electricity. Coal refers to all coal and brown coal, both primary (including hard coal and lignite-brown coal) and derived fuels (including patent fuel, coke oven coke, gas coke, coke oven gas, and blast furnace gas). Peat is also included in this category.; ; IEA Statistics © OECD/IEA 2014 (http://www.iea.org/stats/index.asp), subject to https://www.iea.org/t&c/termsandconditions/; Weighted average; Electricity production shares may not sum to 100 percent because other sources of generated electricity (such as geothermal, solar, and wind) are not shown. Restricted use: Please contact the International Energy Agency for third-party use of these data.

The City and County Energy Profiles lookup table provides modeled electricity and natural gas consumption and expenditures, on-road vehicle fuel consumption, vehicle miles traveled, and associated emissions for each U.S. city and county. Please note this data is modeled and more precise data may be available from regional, state, or other sources. The modeling approach for electricity and natural gas is described in Sector-Specific Methodologies for Subnational Energy Modeling: https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy19osti/72748.pdf. This data is part of a suite of state and local energy profile data available at the "State and Local Energy Profile Data Suite" link below and complements the wealth of data, maps, and charts on the State and Local Planning for Energy (SLOPE) platform, available at the "Explore State and Local Energy Data on SLOPE" link below. Examples of how to use the data to inform energy planning can be found at the "Example Uses" link below.

United States US: Electricity Production From Natural Gas Sources: % of Total data was reported at 31.942 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 26.888 % for 2014. United States US: Electricity Production From Natural Gas Sources: % of Total data is updated yearly, averaging 17.344 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2015, with 56 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 31.942 % in 2015 and a record low of 9.464 % in 1988. United States US: Electricity Production From Natural Gas Sources: % of Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Energy Production and Consumption. Sources of electricity refer to the inputs used to generate electricity. Gas refers to natural gas but excludes natural gas liquids.; ; IEA Statistics © OECD/IEA 2014 (http://www.iea.org/stats/index.asp), subject to https://www.iea.org/t&c/termsandconditions/; Weighted average; Electricity production shares may not sum to 100 percent because other sources of generated electricity (such as geothermal, solar, and wind) are not shown. Restricted use: Please contact the International Energy Agency for third-party use of these data.

In the United States, the cost of electricity generation from coal was 2.42 U.S. dollars per million British thermal units in Q1 2025. In 2024, approximately 15 percent of the electricity produced in the U.S. was generated from coal.

Petroleum is the primary source of energy in the United States, with a consumption of 35.35 quadrillion British thermal units in 2024. Closely following, the U.S. had 34.2 quadrillion British thermal units of energy derived from natural gas. Energy consumption by sector in the United States Petroleum is predominantly utilized as a fuel in the transportation sector, which is also the second-largest consumer of energy in the U.S. with almost 30 percent of the country’s total energy consumption in 2024. This figure is topped only by the energy-guzzling industrial sector, a major consumer of fossil fuels such as petroleum and natural gas. Renewable energy in the United States Despite the prevalence of fossil fuels in the U.S. energy mix, the use of renewable energy consumption has grown immensely in the last decades to approximately 6.7 exajoules in 2024. Most of the renewable energy produced in the U.S. is derived from biomass, hydro, and wind sources. In 2024, renewable electricity accounted for approximately 24 percent of the nation’s total electricity generation.

United States Electricity Consumption data was reported at 10.243 kWh/Day bn in Mar 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 11.765 kWh/Day bn for Feb 2025. United States Electricity Consumption data is updated monthly, averaging 9.940 kWh/Day bn from Jan 1991 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 411 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.179 kWh/Day bn in Jul 2024 and a record low of 7.190 kWh/Day bn in Apr 1991. United States Electricity Consumption data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Energy Information Administration. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.RB004: Electricity Supply and Consumption. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

In 2024, renewable sources accounted for ***** percent of the electricity generated in the United States. The share of renewables in the country's electricity generation has been continually increasing for over a decade. In addition, renewables accounted for over ** percent of the power capacity additions in the U.S. in the same year. Renewable energy sources in the U.S. Wind power was the leading renewable energy source in the country, accounting for over ** percent of the total electricity supply in the U.S., followed by hydropower. Renewable energy generation in the U.S. amounted to *** terawatt-hours in 2023. The growth of renewables in the U.S. According to a recent forecast, the renewable electricity capacity in the U.S. is projected to triple between 2022 and 2040 in a reference scenario, although this figure could be higher in the case of low renewable cost. In 2023, onshore wind and solar photovoltaic energy had some of the lowest levelized cost of electricity in the country.

Power Plants in the U.S.This feature layer, utilizing data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), depicts all operable electric generating plants by energy source in the U.S. This includes plants that are operating, on standby, or short- or long-term out of service. The data covers all plants with a combined nameplate capacity of 1 MW (Megawatt) or more.Per EIA, "The United States uses many different energy sources and technologies to generate electricity. The sources and technologies have changed over time, and some are used more than others. The three major categories of energy for electricity generation are fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and petroleum), nuclear energy, and renewable energy sources. Most electricity is generated with steam turbines using fossil fuels, nuclear, biomass, geothermal, and solar thermal energy. Other major electricity generation technologies include gas turbines, hydro turbines, wind turbines, and solar photovoltaics."Madison Gas & Electric Company, Sycamore Power PlantData currency: This cached Esri service is checked monthly for updates from its federal source (Power Plants)Data modification: NoneFor more information, please visit:Electricity ExplainedEIA-860, Annual Electric Generator ReportEIA-860M, Monthly Update to the Annual Electric Generator ReportEIA-923, Power Plant Operations ReportSupport documentation: MetadataFor feedback: ArcGIScomNationalMaps@esri.comEnergy Information AdministrationPer EIA, "The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) collects, analyzes, and disseminates independent and impartial energy information to promote sound policymaking, efficient markets, and public understanding of energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment."

United States US: Electricity Production From Oil Sources: % of Total data was reported at 0.904 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.923 % for 2014. United States US: Electricity Production From Oil Sources: % of Total data is updated yearly, averaging 4.834 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2015, with 56 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 17.167 % in 1977 and a record low of 0.774 % in 2012. United States US: Electricity Production From Oil Sources: % of Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Energy Production and Consumption. Sources of electricity refer to the inputs used to generate electricity. Oil refers to crude oil and petroleum products.; ; IEA Statistics © OECD/IEA 2014 (http://www.iea.org/stats/index.asp), subject to https://www.iea.org/t&c/termsandconditions/; Weighted average; Electricity production shares may not sum to 100 percent because other sources of generated electricity (such as geothermal, solar, and wind) are not shown. Restricted use: Please contact the International Energy Agency for third-party use of these data.

The electricity generation capacity in the United States reached *** terawatts in 2023, a rise of ** percent compared to the value recorded in 2000. Power capacity in the U.S. is forecast to continue growing in the next decades, doubling between 2022 and 2050. Electricity sources in the U.S. In 2023, fossil fuels were still the main source of electricity generation in the country. Natural gas surpassed coal as the single leading power source in 2016 and accounted for over ** percent of the electricity produced in the U.S. in 2023. However, renewable electricity generation has been growing, primarily driven by wind energy and hydropower. Capacity additions and retirements in the U.S. As of 2024, solar and wind power accounted for about ** percent of planned capacity additions in the North American country. By comparison, fossil fuels had the most planned capacity retirements in the U.S.. Natural gas was the only fossil fuel with planned capacity additions that year, amounting to *** gigawatts.

Graph and download economic data for Sources of Revenue: Sales of Energy and Resources - Electricity Generation and Distribution for Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution, All Establishments, Employer Firms (REVSEGEF2211ALLEST) from 2013 to 2022 about power transmission, distributive, employer firms, accounting, revenue, electricity, energy, establishments, sales, services, and USA.

United States Electricity Generation data was reported at 10.729 kWh/Day bn in Mar 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 12.267 kWh/Day bn for Feb 2025. United States Electricity Generation data is updated monthly, averaging 10.486 kWh/Day bn from Jan 1991 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 411 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.886 kWh/Day bn in Jul 2024 and a record low of 7.593 kWh/Day bn in Apr 1991. United States Electricity Generation data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Energy Information Administration. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.RB004: Electricity Supply and Consumption.

United States US: Fossil Fuel Energy Consumption: % of Total data was reported at 82.776 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 82.935 % for 2014. United States US: Fossil Fuel Energy Consumption: % of Total data is updated yearly, averaging 87.236 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2015, with 56 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 95.982 % in 1967 and a record low of 82.776 % in 2015. United States US: Fossil Fuel Energy Consumption: % of Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Energy Production and Consumption. Fossil fuel comprises coal, oil, petroleum, and natural gas products.; ; IEA Statistics © OECD/IEA 2014 (http://www.iea.org/stats/index.asp), subject to https://www.iea.org/t&c/termsandconditions/; Weighted average; Restricted use: Please contact the International Energy Agency for third-party use of these data.

This API provides data on U.S. consumption for electricity generation in Btu. Data organized by fuel type, i.e., coal, petroleum liquids, petroleum coke, and natural gas. Data also organized by sector, i.e., electric power, electric utility, commercial and industrial. Annual, quarterly, and monthly data available. Based on Form EIA-906, Form EIA-920, and Form EIA-923 data. Users of the EIA API are required to obtain an API Key via this registration form: http://www.eia.gov/beta/api/register.cfm

Fossil fuels dominated the energy sector in the United States, having generated almost 10 times more energy than renewable energy sources in 2024. With some 49 quadrillion British thermal units, dry and liquid natural gas was the largest source of energy in the country, while biomass was the primary renewable energy source.