In the United States, consumption of energy derived from fossil fuels came to approximately 77.4 quadrillion British thermal units in 2024.This represented a slight increase in comparison to the previous year. The peak in fossil fuel consumption was recorded in 2018, at 81.28 quadrillion British thermal units. Fossil fuel energies and their use today Fossil fuels are hydrocarbon-containing natural resources formed from the remains of dead plants or animals that have been subject to immense pressure from a buildup of layers over millions of years. There are three major forms of fossil fuels: coal, oil, and natural gas, which are sources of primary energy. The energy demand in the U.S. is largely covered by fossil fuels. In 2024, net electricity generation amounted to 4,304 terawatt hours. Natural gas is the most common fuel type used for electricity generation. Combined with the coal share, fossil fuels account for 76 percent of all power production in the country.Apart from natural gas and coal consumed within the power sector, oil is one of the main energy sources in the U.S. The liquid is predominantly used in the transportation sector as it is refined into petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. Oil and natural gas also serve as feed stocks in the petrochemical industry and are the building blocks for a variety of products such as plastics. Despite its prominent use since the Industrial Revolution, fossil fuels are finite resources and burning these fuels has severely impacted Earth's climate. Under the threat of climate change, the pollution caused by fossil fuels has put the whole industry under scrutiny. Burning any fossil fuel produces carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas which contributes to global warming.

Worldwide fossil fuel consumption amounted to 140,231 terawatt-hours in 2023. This was an increase compared to the previous year and also the highest figure in the period of consideration.

Historical chart and dataset showing China fossil fuel consumption by year from 1971 to 2022.

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.

The transportation sector is the largest consumer of primary fossil fuel energy in the United States. Largely due to reliance on petroleum-based motor fuels, the transportation sector consumed over 26.2 quadrillion British thermal units of fossil fuel energy in 2024. By comparison, fossil fuel consumption within the electric power sector has experienced an overall declining tendency in recent years, following a decline in U.S. electricity generation from coal. Consumption of fossil fuels in the U.S. Historically, the transportation sector and electric power sector consumed more than half of the fossil fuel-produced energy in the country. Being some of the cheapest energy sources on the market, the U.S. came to rely heavily on natural gas and coal in order to power its ever-growing economy, while gasoline and diesel remain the most common motor fuels. Petroleum is the greatest source of primary energy consumption in the U.S. Energy transition Despite the role fossil fuels continue to play in every day life for the U.S. resident, many within the country have urged the U.S. government to adopt more stringent targets to reducing the country's carbon footprint in order to mitigate climate change. An outlook from April 2025 suggest that renewable energy consumption in the U.S. is on track to increase to 19.43 quadrillion British thermal units by 2050. However, this amount is still far lower than the energy needed to offset fossil fuel use.

Historical chart and dataset showing World fossil fuel consumption by year from 1960 to 2015.

Fossil fuels account for nearly **** percent of total primary energy consumption worldwide. Although figures have been declining in recent years, owing to greater use of renewable sources, fossil fuels still make up the majority share in energy consumption. Total fossil fuel energy consumption worldwide stood at roughly ******* terawatt-hours in 2023.

Nigeria NG: Fossil Fuel Energy Consumption: % of Total data was reported at 19.036 % in 2014. This records an increase from the previous number of 18.625 % for 2013. Nigeria NG: Fossil Fuel Energy Consumption: % of Total data is updated yearly, averaging 18.952 % from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2014, with 44 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22.845 % in 1992 and a record low of 5.968 % in 1971. Nigeria NG: 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 Nigeria – Table NG.World Bank: 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.

Historical chart and dataset showing India fossil fuel consumption by year from 1971 to 2022.

Canada CA: Fossil Fuel Energy Consumption: % of Total data was reported at 74.089 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 73.193 % for 2014. Canada CA: Fossil Fuel Energy Consumption: % of Total data is updated yearly, averaging 75.993 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2015, with 56 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 86.215 % in 1965 and a record low of 71.698 % in 1994. Canada CA: 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 Canada – Table CA.World Bank.WDI: Environmental: Energy Production and Consumption. Fossil fuel comprises coal, oil, petroleum, and natural gas products.;IEA Statistics © OECD/IEA 2014 (https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics), subject to https://www.iea.org/terms/;Weighted average;Restricted use: Please contact the International Energy Agency for third-party use of these data.

Ireland IE: Fossil Fuel Energy Consumption: % of Total data was reported at 85.363 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 84.585 % for 2014. Ireland IE: Fossil Fuel Energy Consumption: % of Total data is updated yearly, averaging 85.032 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2015, with 56 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 93.277 % in 2004 and a record low of 67.242 % in 1960. Ireland IE: 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 Ireland – Table IE.World Bank: 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.

Fossil fuel consumption in the United States amounted to 77.41 quadrillion British thermal units in 2024, a slight increase in comparison to the previous year. Renewables consumption has progressively increased within the period of consideration, reaching 8.6 quadrillion British thermal units that in 2024.

Ireland fossil fuel consumption for 2023 was 82.36%, a 3.48% decline from 2022.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Ireland fossil fuel consumption for 2022 was <strong>85.84%</strong>, a <strong>0.74% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>Ireland fossil fuel consumption for 2021 was <strong>86.58%</strong>, a <strong>0.67% increase</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>Ireland fossil fuel consumption for 2020 was <strong>85.91%</strong>, a <strong>0.96% decline</strong> from 2019.</li>
</ul>Fossil fuel comprises coal, oil, petroleum, and natural gas products.

This scatter chart displays fossil fuel energy consumption (% of total) against GDP (current US$) in Algeria. The data is about countries per year.

Per capita fossil fuel consumption averaged 17,430 kilowatt-hours worldwide in 2023.This was a slight increase compared to the previous year. Qatar has the highest per capita fossil fuel consumption of any country, at 225,427 kilowatt-hours worth of fossil energy.

The UK's fuel use by industry (SIC 2007 group - around 130 categories) and type (coal, natural gas, petrol, diesel oil for road vehicles (DERV), fuel oil, gas oil, aviation fuel and other); UK level fuel use of nuclear, hydro, wind, solar, geothermal aquifers and net imports, 1990 to 2023. This table excludes biofuels and waste.

Costa Rica fossil fuel consumption for 2023 was 51.55%, a 0.84% increase from 2022.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Costa Rica fossil fuel consumption for 2022 was <strong>50.71%</strong>, a <strong>0.54% increase</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>Costa Rica fossil fuel consumption for 2021 was <strong>50.17%</strong>, a <strong>3.2% increase</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>Costa Rica fossil fuel consumption for 2020 was <strong>46.97%</strong>, a <strong>4.58% decline</strong> from 2019.</li>
</ul>Fossil fuel comprises coal, oil, petroleum, and natural gas products.

This scatter chart displays access to electricity (% of population) against fossil fuel energy consumption (% of total) in Georgia. The data is about countries per year.

Historical chart and dataset showing U.S. fossil fuel consumption by year from 1960 to 2023.

This scatter chart displays fossil fuel energy consumption (% of total) against electricity production from oil sources (% of total) in Georgia. The data is about countries per year.