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.

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.

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 United States generated 4,304 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 120 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 890 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 500 terawatt-hours since the beginning of the century.

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).

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 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]

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.

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.

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.

United States US: Electricity Production From Hydroelectric Sources: % of Total data was reported at 5.842 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6.054 % for 2014. United States US: Electricity Production From Hydroelectric Sources: % of Total data is updated yearly, averaging 9.342 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2015, with 56 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18.881 % in 1962 and a record low of 4.904 % in 2001. United States US: Electricity Production From Hydroelectric 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. Hydropower refers to electricity produced by hydroelectric power plants.; ; 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.

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.

In 2024, renewable sources accounted for 24.11 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 90 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 10 percent of the total electricity supply in the U.S., followed by hydropower. Renewable energy generation in the U.S. amounted to 894 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.

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.

Monthly data since January 1973 and annual data since 1949 on U.S. primary and total energy consumption by end-use sector (residential, commercial, industrial, transportation) and electric power sector.

United States US: Electricity Production From Renewable Sources: Excluding Hydroelectric: % of Total data was reported at 7.176 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 6.900 % for 2014. United States US: Electricity Production From Renewable Sources: Excluding Hydroelectric: % of Total data is updated yearly, averaging 0.471 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2015, with 56 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7.176 % in 2015 and a record low of 0.015 % in 1960. United States US: Electricity Production From Renewable Sources: Excluding Hydroelectric: % of Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Energy Production and Consumption. Electricity production from renewable sources, excluding hydroelectric, includes geothermal, solar, tides, wind, biomass, and biofuels.; ; 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.

United States US: Electricity Production From Renewable Sources: Excluding Hydroelectric data was reported at 317,421,000,000.000 kWh in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 298,023,000,000.000 kWh for 2014. United States US: Electricity Production From Renewable Sources: Excluding Hydroelectric data is updated yearly, averaging 12,867,000,000.000 kWh from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2015, with 56 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 317,421,000,000.000 kWh in 2015 and a record low of 122,000,000.000 kWh in 1960. United States US: Electricity Production From Renewable Sources: Excluding Hydroelectric 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. Electricity production from renewable sources, excluding hydroelectric, includes geothermal, solar, tides, wind, biomass, and biofuels.; ; IEA Statistics © OECD/IEA 2014 (http://www.iea.org/stats/index.asp), subject to https://www.iea.org/t&c/termsandconditions/; Sum; Restricted use: Please contact the International Energy Agency for third-party use of these data.

United States US: Electricity Production From Oil: Gas And Coal Sources: % of Total data was reported at 67.238 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 67.462 % for 2014. United States US: Electricity Production From Oil: Gas And Coal Sources: % of Total data is updated yearly, averaging 72.459 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2015, with 56 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 83.232 % in 1966 and a record low of 67.238 % in 2015. United States US: Electricity Production From Oil: Gas And 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. Oil refers to crude oil and petroleum products. Gas refers to natural gas but excludes natural gas liquids. 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; Restricted use: Please contact the International Energy Agency for third-party use of these data.