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.

Key information about United States Electricity Production

• Electricity Production in United States reached 361,284 GWh in Dec 2024, compared with 324,033 GWh in the previous month.
• Electricity Production data of US is updated monthly averaging at 294,691 GWh from Jan 1973 to Dec 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 430,288 GWh in Jul 2024 and a record low of 139,589 GWh in Apr 1973.

Renewable energy generation in the United States has seen remarkable growth, with wind power leading the charge. In 2024, wind is generated ***** terawatt hours of electricity, solidifying its position as the top renewable source since 2019. This surge in wind energy production reflects a broader trend of increasing renewable energy adoption across the country. Electricity landscape in the United States The growth in renewable electricity generation is supported by substantial investments and increasing production capacity. However, fossil fuels still dominated U.S. electricity generation in 2024. *********** remains the largest electricity source with a ** percent share in that year, while renewables accounted for ** percent of total electricity generation. Energy transition outlook in the United States Over the last few years, the country demonstrated its commitment to diversify its energy portfolio and reduce reliance on traditional fossil fuels, motivated by environmental concerns and economic factors. According to a recent forecast, renewable sources could provide approximately ** percent of U.S. electricity output by 2050, led by solar energy. The recent political turnover is expected to impact the country’s energy sector, as the new Trump administration is again shifting U.S. energy policy towards fossil fuels.

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.

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.

This deposit combines data from https://doi.org/10.3886/E146782V1 and https://doi.org/10.3886/E146801V1 to produce files containing the hourly generation, costs, and capacities of virtually all power plants in the lower 48 United States between 1999-2012 for their use in "Data and Code for: Imperfect Markets versus Imperfect Regulation in U.S. Electricity Generation" (https://doi.org/10.3886/E115467V1).

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.

This data deposit constructs data on monthly generation costs and capacities in the United States from 1999-2012 in preparation for their use in "Imperfect Markets versus Imperfect Regulation in U.S. Electricity Generation" (openicpsr-115467).It builds panel data files from the following EIA forms:"Form EIA-860: Annual Electric Generator Report""Form EIA-861: Annual Electric Power Industry Report""Form EIA-767: Annual Steam-Electric Plant Operation and Design Report""Form EIA-923: Power Plant Operations Report""Form EIA-759/906/920/923: Power Plant Report""Form EIA-423: Monthly Cost and Quality of Fuels for Electric Plants Report"and the EPA's Continuous Emissions Monitor System.It constructs a crosswalk that connects the EPA's boilers to the EIA's generator identifiers.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Electric Power Production for United States (M0128AUSM247NNBR) from Jan 1936 to Jan 1957 about electricity, production, and USA.

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.

Electric utilities in the United States generated approximately 2,241 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2024, with a slight decrease in comparison to the previous year. Overall, electricity generation from U.S. utilities has slowly decreased over the past decades, from over 2,500 terawatt-hours in 2004. Electricity providers in the U.S. Despite a decrease in electricity generation in the past decade, electric utilities account for the majority of net electricity generation in the U.S.. However, their margin has been slowly reducing, reaching a little over half of the net output in 2023. Meanwhile, electricity generation by independent producers grew by almost 20 percent in the past decade, amounting to roughly 1,850 terawatt-hours that same year. Leading electric utilities in the U.S. Constellation Energy Generation stands out in the U.S. electricity market as the leading utility by net output, with over 200 terawatt hours generated in 2023. That same year, Duke Energy was the leading utility in the U.S., based on revenue. Nevertheless, when it comes to market value, it was the Florida-based NextEra Energy to rank as the country's most valuable electric utility, at roughly 156 billion U.S. dollars in 2024.

Forecast: Solar Energy Generation in the US 2022 - 2026 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Forecast: Nuclear Energy Generation in the US 2022 - 2026 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

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.

The size of the North America Power Industry market was valued at USD XX Million in 2023 and is projected to reach USD XXX Million by 2032, with an expected CAGR of % during the forecast period. The power industry in North America is experiencing a profound transformation, influenced by advancements in technology, changes in regulations, and evolving energy requirements. This sector, which includes the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity, is essential to the economic framework of the region, catering to both residential and industrial consumers. Recent developments indicate a marked shift towards cleaner and more sustainable energy options, particularly renewables, while still maintaining a significant dependence on natural gas. This transition is driven by a mix of environmental regulations, technological progress, and an increasing focus on minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. The North American power industry is shaped by several key factors, including the growing incorporation of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, which are altering the energy landscape and prompting necessary upgrades to grid infrastructure to enhance reliability and adaptability. Innovations in energy storage and smart grid technologies are also critical, improving the efficiency and stability of power distribution systems. Furthermore, regulatory frameworks and incentives designed to encourage energy efficiency and lower carbon emissions are expediting the adoption of cleaner technologies. As the region continues to progress through its energy transition, the North American power industry is set for expansion, characterized by a combination of upgraded infrastructure, cutting-edge technologies, and a robust commitment to sustainability. This transformation mirrors broader global movements towards cleaner and more resilient energy systems. Recent developments include: In August 2022, The U.S. Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office has given GE Research, the technological development division of General Electric Company, a 30-month, USD 4.3 million projects to increase the operating capacity and flexibility of hydropower assets., In October 2022, Belltown Power U.S. sold a 6 GW portfolio of solar, coupled, and stand-alone battery storage development projects to ENGIE North America (ENGIE). 33 projects totaling approximately 2.7 GW of solar energy, 0.7 GW of paired storage, and 2.6 GW of standalone battery storage are included in the transaction. Acquisition of 33 early to late-stage projects will accelerate renewables development across multiple states in North America., In November 2022, EE North America joined up with Elio Energy to build a 2GW solar power pipeline and energy storage assets in Arizona and neighboring states in the United States. The company intends to build 10GW of renewable energy capacity in the country by 2026 in order to assist state and local governments across the United States in meeting their net-zero emissions targets.. Key drivers for this market are: 4., Supportive Government Policies and Incentives4.; Environmental Concerns. Potential restraints include: 4., Fossil Fuel Subsidies. Notable trends are: Conventional Thermal is Likely Dominate the Market.

US energy production measures total energy production by nuclear, coal, crude oil and natural gas plant liquids, renewables and dry natural gas. Total energy production includes direct-use energy, energy derived from refined products and electricity generated from nuclear, coal, renewables and gas power plants. Data is sourced from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) and is measured in quadrillions of British thermal units (BTUs).

Fossil fuels dominated the energy sector in the United States, having generated almost ** times more energy than renewable energy sources in 2024. With some ** 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.

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.