China consumes by far the most electricity of any country in the world, with almost 9,000 terawatt-hours equivalent consumed in 2024. The United States ranked as the second-leading electricity consumer that year, with over 4,000 terawatt-hours consumed. India followed, but by a wide margin. Production and consumption disparities China not only leads countries in electricity consumption worldwide, it also dominates production, generating over 10 petawatt-hours annually. The United States follows with 4.6 petawatt-hours, significantly more than its consumption of 4,065 terawatt-hours. This disparity underscores the complex relationship between production and consumption, influenced by factors such as energy efficiency, export capabilities, and domestic demand. The global expansion of electricity networks, particularly in Central and Southern Asia, is driving increased production to meet growing access and demand. Shifting energy landscapes The United States, as the second-largest consumer, is experiencing a significant shift in its energy mix. Coal-based electricity has declined by nearly 65 percent since 2010, giving way to natural gas and renewable sources. This transition is evident in recent capacity additions, with renewable energy sources accounting for almost 90 percent of new electricity capacity in 2025. The surge in renewable generation, particularly wind power, is reshaping the U.S. energy landscape and influencing consumption patterns. As renewable energy consumption is projected to more than double by 2050, the electricity market is adapting to these changing dynamics.

In 2023, the residential sector consumed an estimated 1,450 terawatt-hours of electricity in the United States, the largest consuming sector in the country. It was closely followed by the commercial sector. In contrast, the transportation sector was the least power-demanding sector, with some 6.9 terawatt-hours consumed.

Texas is the leading electricity-consuming state in the United States. In 2023, the state consumed 492.8 terawatt-hours of electricity. California and Florida followed in second and third, each consuming approximately 239.48 and 250.94 terawatt-hours, respectively.

Industrial activities are the greatest energy end-user sector in the United States, reaching a consumption of some 31 quadrillion British thermal units in 2024, followed by the transportation sector. The U.S. is the second-largest energy consumer in the world, after China. Energy source in the United States Consumption of fossil fuels still accounts for the majority of U.S. primary energy consumption. The transportation and industrial sectors are the sectors with the largest fossil fuel consumption in the country, the former relying on oil-based motor fuels. Electricity generation in the United States Although around 60 percent of the electricity generated in the U.S. is derived from natural gas and coal, the use of renewable sources is becoming more common in electricity production, with the largest increase in wind and solar power. These two clean energy resources are projected to generate as much power as natural gas by 2030.

Electricity consumption in the United States totaled ***** terawatt-hours in 2024, the highest value in the period under consideration. Figures represent energy end use, which is the sum of retail sales and direct use of electricity by the producing entity. Electricity consumption in the U.S. is expected to continue increasing in the coming years. Which sectors consume the most electricity in the U.S.? Consumption has often been associated with economic growth. Nevertheless, technological improvements in efficiency and new appliance standards have led to a stabilizing of electricity consumption, despite the increased ubiquity of chargeable consumer electronics. Electricity consumption is highest in the residential sector, followed by the commercial sector. Equipment used for space heating and cooling account for some of the largest shares of residential electricity end use. Leading states in electricity use Industrial hub Texas is the leading electricity-consuming U.S. state. In 2023, the southwestern state, which houses major refinery complexes and is also home to over ** million people, consumed almost ****terawatt-hours. Florida and California followed in second and third, with an annual consumption of approximately *** terawatt-hours and 240 terawatt-hours, respectively.

Electricity usage varies significantly between U.S. cities. In 2017, Miami had the highest average monthly electricity usage with ***** kilowatt hours used on average. San Francisco had the lowest average usage with just *** kilowatt hours. Electricity in the U.S. Electricity is used as a power source for a variety of things in the U.S. including cooling, technology, and some transportation. Electricity is generated from a variety of sources. Globally, coal/peat/oil shale accounts for the largest share of the world’s electricity production. The electricity generating capacity in the U.S. has grown significantly in recent years and is expected to continue to grow. Energy Usage in the U.S. Energy consumption in the U.S. shows distinct trends. Primary energy consumption in the U.S. has remained stable since 1998 with some decreases in recent years. However, some sectors consume more than others. In recent years, the electric power sector consumed the largest quantity of energy generated in the U.S.. Sources of energy are also used differently. As of 2018, petroleum and natural gas are the most commonly consumed energy sources in the United States.

Iceland is by far the largest per capita consumer of electricity worldwide, averaging 51.9 megawatt-hours per person in 2024. This results from a combination of factors, such as low-cost electricity production, increased heating demand, and the presence of energy-intensive industries in the country. Norway, Qatar, and Canada were also some of the world's largest electricity consumers per capita that year. China is the leading overall power consumer Power-intensive industries, the purchasing power of the average citizen, household size, and general power efficiency standards all contribute to the amount of electricity that is consumed per person every year. However, in terms of total electricity consumption, a country's size and population can also play an important role. In 2024, the three most populous countries in the world, namely China, the United States, and India, were also the three largest electricity consumers. Global electricity consumption on the rise In 2023, net electricity consumption worldwide amounted to over 27,000 terawatt-hours, an increase of 30 percent in comparison to a decade earlier. When compared to 1980, global electricity consumption more than tripled. On the generation side, the world is still strongly dependent on fossil fuels. Despite the world's renewable energy capacity quintupling in the last decade, coal and gas combined still accounted for almost 60 percent of global electricity generation in 2023.

Alaska's staggering energy consumption of over one billion British thermal units per capita in 2023 highlights the vast disparities in energy use across the United States. This figure, more than triple the national average of 277.8 million British thermal units, underscores the unique energy demand of America's largest state. Louisiana and North Dakota followed closely behind, with consumption rates of 908 and 892 million British thermal units per capita, respectively. Factors influencing regional U.S. energy consumption The extreme per person energy consumption in Alaska can be attributed to its cold climate and energy-intensive industries. By comparison, New York, California, and Florida were among the states with the lowest per person energy consumption in the country because of the high energy efficiency, mild temperatures, and economies based on services and low energy-intensive industries. The overall energy consumption in the U.S. states was highest in the most populated areas –Texas, California, and Florida- and lower in sparsely populated ones, such as Alaska and Wyoming. Future energy trends in the U.S. While individual states show significant variations, the U.S. country consumed approximately 94.2 quadrillion British thermal units of primary energy in 2024, a slight increase from the previous year. Oil remained the dominant energy source, followed by natural gas and renewable energies. The country's energy market has been evolving, with increased investments in renewable energy, reflecting a growing shift towards more sustainable energy sources.

Over the past half a century, the world's electricity consumption has continuously grown, reaching approximately 27,000 terawatt-hours by 2023. Between 1980 and 2023, electricity consumption more than tripled, while the global population reached eight billion people. Growth in industrialization and electricity access across the globe have further boosted electricity demand. China's economic rise and growth in global power use Since 2000, China's GDP has recorded an astonishing 15-fold increase, turning it into the second-largest global economy, behind only the United States. To fuel the development of its billion-strong population and various manufacturing industries, China requires more energy than any other country. As a result, it has become the largest electricity consumer in the world. Electricity consumption per capita In terms of per capita electricity consumption, China and other BRIC countries are still vastly outpaced by developed economies with smaller population sizes. Iceland, with a population of less than half a million inhabitants, consumes by far the most electricity per person in the world. Norway, Qatar, Canada, and the United States also have among the highest consumption rates. Multiple contributing factors such as the existence of power-intensive industries, household sizes, living situations, appliance and efficiency standards, and access to alternative heating fuels determine the amount of electricity the average person requires in each country.

Coal consumption within the electric power sector in the United States fell to 373.8 million short tons in 2024. In the past decade, there has been a marked decline in the use of coal for electricity generation. Coal consumption peaked between 2005 and 2008, when over one billion short tons were used every year. However, with the promotion of natural gas as a bridge-fuel toward a greener power sector, coal as the dirtiest of fossil fuels has fallen out of favor and natural gas has succeeded coal in becoming the main fuel type used for electricity generation in the U.S. Coal use by sector Coal is used primarily by the power sector. An Edison plant built for New York City in 1882 was the first coal-fired electricity plant in the U.S. By the 1950s, coal was considered the leading source of fuel for electricity generation. Declines in coal usage occurred around 2007, amidst the increased availability of renewables and natural gas. Apart from the use of thermal coal for power production, coking coal is an important raw material used for steelmaking, and the industrial sector still consumes around one quadrillion British thermal unit every year. Coal power use around the world The U.S. is the third largest consumer of coal in the world, following China and India. China’s consumption exceeds the total of many other countries combined, reaching 92 exajoules compared to U.S.' 7.9 exajoules. Fossil fuels are still a primary source of fuel around the world. U.S. fossil fuel consumption reached some 77.4 quadrillion British thermal units in 2024.

The United States generated ***** terawatt-hours of electricity in 2024, one of the largest figures recorded in the indicated period. In comparison to the previous year, power generation decreased by *** terawatt-hours. U.S. electricity market and the role of renewables Unlike the use of fossil fuels, U.S. renewable electricity generation has increased in recent years, amounting to more than *** terawatt-hours in 2023. Wind power has become the main renewable source of electricity generation in the North American country, having surpassed conventional hydroelectric power in 2019. Who are the main consumers of electricity? The residential sector was ranked as the largest consumer of electricity in the United States in 2023. Electricity retail sales to residential users have grown by almost *** terawatt-hours since the beginning of the century.

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.

China is the largest consumer of primary energy in the world, having used some 176.35 exajoules in 2024. This is a lot more than what the United States consumed, which comes in second place. The majority of primary energy fuels worldwide are still derived from fossil fuels, such as oil and coal. China's energy mix China’s primary energy mix has shifted from a dominant use of coal to an increase in natural gas and renewable sources. Since 2013, the renewables share in total energy consumption has grown by around eight percentage points. Overall, global primary energy consumption has increased over the last decade, and it is expected to experience the largest growth in emerging economies like the BRIC countries - Brazil, Russia, India, and China. What is primary energy? Primary energy is the energy inherent in natural resources such as crude oil, coal, and wind before further transformation. For example, crude oil can be refined into secondary fuels, such as gasoline or diesel, while wind is harnessed for electricity - itself a secondary energy source. A country’s total primary energy supply is a measure of the country’s primary energy sources. Meanwhile, end-use energy is the energy directly consumed by the user and includes primary fuels such as natural gas, as well as secondary sources, like electricity and gasoline.

Asia is the world's region with the greatest electricity consumption. In 2023, countries within that region consumed a combined 12,868 terawatt-hours of electricity. The region is home to China, the world's largest electricity consuming country. North America and Europe trailed in second and third, with 4,623 and 3,223 terawatt-hours consumed, respectively.

Of the leading ten technology companies worldwide based on market capitalization, Samsung is the company consuming the most electricity at nearly ** million megawatt-hours (MWh) based on the company's most recent 2023 figures. Google, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), and Microsoft came in second, third, and fourth place in electricity consumption, respectively.

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.

In 2023, Illinois was the leading state for electricity consumed from nuclear energy sources in the United States. That year, some **** terawatt-hours of nuclear power generated electricity was used in the state. Pennsylvania, where nuclear electric consumption was around **** terawatt-hours, followed. The ranking of nuclear electricity consumption by state correlated with nuclear power generation by state.

Primary energy supply in the United States has fluctuated since 1998, peaking at 96.95 exajoules in 2007. By 2024, figures had decreased to nearly 91.83 exajoules. Primary energy refers to energy harvested directly from natural resources, before being transformed into electricity or other secondary or tertiary energy forms. It includes both fossil fuels and renewable sources. United States' primary energy demand: global context The U.S. is the second largest primary energy consumer worldwide, only falling behind China. In 2024, China had a primary energy demand of over 176 exajoules. Rounding out the top three, India ranked third and had a total energy consumption of some 41 exajoules. Energy transition in the U.S. Such high energy demand leads to greater carbon emissions. Despite the increase in clean energy investments in the U.S., the country’s main energy sources are still fossil fuels. However, the share of renewables in electricity generation has increased to over 24 percent as of 2024.

Virginia had the highest share of data center electricity use in the United States in 2023, amounting to ** percent of the state's total electricity consumption. Approximately ** percent of global internet traffic is managed through the state's data centers. North Dakota had the next highest share at **** percent of state electricity consumption.

Fossil fuels remain the greatest source of electricity generation worldwide. In 2024, coal accounted for roughly **** percent of the global power mix, while natural gas followed with a ***** percent share. China, India, and the United States accounted for the largest share of coal used for electricity generation. The future of renewable energy Fossil fuel use notwithstanding, the share of renewables in global electricity has seen a more pronounced year-on-year growth in recent years, following increased efforts by governments to combat global warming and a decrease in levelized costs. Projections indicate that renewables will surpass fossil fuels as the main power source by 2040. Electricity consumption in the world China is the largest electricity consumer in the world, requiring almost ***** terawatt-hours of electricity every year. However, this economic power accounts for the largest population in the world and its electricity consumption per capita is almost tenfold smaller than the consumption of Iceland, although the power used in this country came almost completely from clean sources.