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.

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.

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.

Petroleum is the most used fuel source in the United States, with a consumption level of 35.35 quadrillion British thermal units in 2024. Natural gas is the second-most common fuel source, with consumption levels rising closer to that of petroleum over recent years. Petroleum use post-financial crisis Petroleum in the United States is primarily used for fueling the transportation sector, generating heat and electricity, as well as in the production of plastics. U.S. consumption of petroleum was at its highest before the 2008 global financial crisis, when the price of crude oil rose dramatically. Petroleum consumption began to increase again in 2013, before dropping significantly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The rise of natural gas While petroleum consumption has been lower in the last decade than in the early 2000s, the use of natural gas has risen significantly. Natural gas consumption in the United States has seen record highs in recent years, in part due to lower costs and its growing popularity. The U.S. currently produces more natural gas than any country in the world, followed by Russia.

In 2023, the United States generated approximately ***** billion kilowatt hours of electricity from biomass. The generation decrease between 2000 and 2001 reflects a classification change. Beginning with 2001 data, non-biogenic municipal solid waste and tire-derived fuels were re-classified as non-renewable energy sources. Bioenergy in the United States Bioenergy, also referred to as biopower, is energy derived from renewable biological sources. Common sources include wood, wood waste, and byproducts from agricultural processes. Biopower generation in the United States has fluxuated over the last decade reaching ***** billion kilowatt hours from wood and wood-derived fuels. Generation from waste sources totaled ***** billion kilowatt hours during the same year. In 2018, Florida was the leader among U.S. states in terms of installed biopower electricity capacity, reaching ***** megawatts. Electricity generation from biomass Biomass is one of the most commonly used sources of biopower, as the fuel is often a byproduct, residue, or waste-product. Solid biomass energy capacity in the United States reached ***** megawatts in 2023. In theory, using residue to produce energy minimizes the competition between food and fuel productions, although, this does not necessarily occur in real world situations. In the current industry, there are some agricultural products like corn and soybeans in the U.S. that are grown solely for biofuel production. These products can also be converted into other forms of energy like methane gas and biodiesel. Some ** million metric tons of corn is expected to be produced in the United States in 2030 for ethanol production.

In 2024, some 453 terawatt hours of electricity was generated from wind sources in 2024, making this the most used renewable source in the United States. By comparison, electricity generation from conventional hydroelectric power plants stood at almost 240 terawatt hours.

The statistic represents the costs of electricity production in the United States between 2000 and 2014, by source. In 2014, the production cost of electricity generated from coal was 3.29 U.S. dollar cents per kilowatt hour. The average cost of electricity in the U.S. came to 9.43 U.S. dollar cents in 2015.

The global consumption of electricity can be found here.

The United States imported 38.92 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2023 from its neighboring countries Canada and Mexico. In the past decade, electricity imports in the U.S. peaked in 2015, at nearly 76 terawatt-hours. Meanwhile, electricity exports from the U.S. have fluctuated between six and 20 terawatt-hours per year. Where do U.S. power imports come from? Electricity imports from Canada amounted to more than 33 terawatt-hours in 2023, a decrease on previous years. However, U.S. electricity imports from Mexico have sharply increased in the past decade, from less than two terawatt-hours in 2010 to more than five terawatt-hours in 2023. Electricity demand in the U.S. In the past half a century, electricity consumption in the U.S. more than doubled, amounting to over four petawatt-hours in 2023. The U.S., home to the world's third-largest population, is also one of the largest electricity consumers worldwide, ranking only after China.

United States US: Energy Intensity Level of Primary Energy: MJ per PPP of(GDP) Gross Domestic Product2017 Price data was reported at 4.210 MJ in 2021. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.310 MJ for 2020. United States US: Energy Intensity Level of Primary Energy: MJ per PPP of(GDP) Gross Domestic Product2017 Price data is updated yearly, averaging 5.420 MJ from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2021, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.720 MJ in 2000 and a record low of 4.210 MJ in 2021. United States US: Energy Intensity Level of Primary Energy: MJ per PPP of(GDP) Gross Domestic Product2017 Price 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: Environmental: Energy Production and Consumption. Energy intensity level of primary energy is the ratio between energy supply and gross domestic product measured at purchasing power parity. Energy intensity is an indication of how much energy is used to produce one unit of economic output. Lower ratio indicates that less energy is used to produce one unit of output.;IEA, IRENA, UNSD, World Bank, WHO. 2023. Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report. World Bank, Washington DC. © World Bank. License: Creative Commons Attribution—NonCommercial 3.0 IGO (CC BY-NC 3.0 IGO).;Weighted average;

The US Department of Energy (DOE), via the office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), publishes an annual Renewable Energy Data Book. Provided here is the data corresponding to the 2010 Renewable Energy Data Book. The types of data available include: US energy production and consumption (2000 - 2009) for all fuel sources (coal, natural gas, petroleum, nuclear, hydro, and non-hydro renewables); total consumption by sector; US renewable energy capacity and generation (2000 - 2009); as well as global renewable energy capacity and generation (2000 - 2009).

In 2023, the United States consumed about *** quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) of energy derived from nuclear sources, up from **** quadrillion Btu recorded a year earlier. The U.S.' nuclear energy consumption reached the peak of the century in 2007, at around **** quadrillion British thermal units.

Global primary energy consumption has increased dramatically in recent years and is projected to continue to increase until 2045. Only hydropower and renewable energy consumption are expected to increase between 2045 and 2050 and reach 30 percent of the global energy consumption. Energy consumption by country The distribution of energy consumption globally is disproportionately high among some countries. China, the United States, and India were by far the largest consumers of primary energy globally. On a per capita basis, it was Qatar, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and Iceland to have the highest per capita energy consumption. Renewable energy consumption Over the last two decades, renewable energy consumption has increased to reach over 90 exajoules in 2023. Among all countries globally, China had the largest installed renewable energy capacity as of that year, followed by the United States.

The Asia Pacific region consumes the most primary energy in the world, at around 279.24 exajoules in 2024. Consumption of primary energy is generally increasing worldwide, and has risen in Asia-Pacific by nearly 90 exajoules since 2010. Primary energy consumption is the use of crude energy prior to refining or conversion. Countries with the highest energy consumption North America follows Asia Pacific as the world’s second-largest consumer of primary energy, having consumed 112 exajoules in 2024. High consumption levels in Asia Pacific and North America come in large part from China and the United States. Rapid industrial growth and a growing middle class have resulted in energy consumption in China to more than quadruple since 2000. Growth and common energy sources While primary energy use has steadily increased across the globe, renewable energy consumption has more than tripled since 2000. Nevertheless, renewables remain among the least-used primary energy source, just above nuclear power. Fossil fuels, such as oil and coal, are consumed at a higher volume than any other type of primary energy source in the world.

United States Electricity Consumption: Direct Use data was reported at 0.339 kWh/Day bn in Oct 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.366 kWh/Day bn for Sep 2018. United States Electricity Consumption: Direct Use data is updated monthly, averaging 0.396 kWh/Day bn from Jan 1991 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 334 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.520 kWh/Day bn in Aug 2000 and a record low of 0.310 kWh/Day bn in May 1991. United States Electricity Consumption: Direct Use data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Energy Information Administration. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.RB068: Electricity Supply and Consumption.

United States Electricity Consumption: Retail Sales: Industrial data was reported at 2.597 kWh/Day bn in Oct 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2.798 kWh/Day bn for Sep 2018. United States Electricity Consumption: Retail Sales: Industrial data is updated monthly, averaging 2.740 kWh/Day bn from Jan 1991 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 334 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.070 kWh/Day bn in Jun 2000 and a record low of 2.380 kWh/Day bn in Mar 2009. United States Electricity Consumption: Retail Sales: Industrial data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Energy Information Administration. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.RB068: Electricity Supply and Consumption.

All available data collected from EIA U.S. Natural Gas Total Consumption series (series NG.N9140US2.M) the first of every month. An additional month - one step ahead of the final month in the series NG.N9140US2.M - collected from EIA's short-term energy forecast U.S. Natural Gas Consumption series (series STEO.NGTCPUS.M).

This data is collected by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) available here (http://www.eia.gov/opendata/qb.cfm?category=480324&sdid=NG.N9140US2.M) available here (http://www.eia.gov/opendata/qb.cfm?category=1039914&sdid=STEO.NGTCPUS.M) (one-month ahead forecast from last data point collected from series id NG.N9140US2.M).

In 2024, net solar power generation in the United States reached its highest point yet at 218.5 terawatt hours of solar thermal and photovoltaic (PV) power. Solar power generation has increased drastically over the past two decades, especially since 2011, when it hovered just below two terawatt hours. The U.S. solar industry In the United States, an exceptionally high number of solar-related jobs are based in California. With a boost from state legislation, California has long been a forerunner in solar technology. In the second quarter of 2024, it had a cumulative solar PV capacity of more than 48 gigawatts. Outside of California, Texas, Florida, and North Carolina were the states with the largest solar PV capacity. Clean energy in the U.S. In recent years, solar power generation has seen more rapid growth than wind power in the United States. However, among renewables used for electricity, wind has been a more common and substantial source for the past decade. Wind power surpassed conventional hydropower as the largest source of renewable electricity in 2019. While there are major environmental costs often associated with the construction and operation of large hydropower facilities, hydro remains a vital source of electricity generation for the United States.

United States Energy Consumption: Industrial: Electrical System Energy Losses data was reported at 500.596 BTU tn in Apr 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 513.679 BTU tn for Mar 2018. United States Energy Consumption: Industrial: Electrical System Energy Losses data is updated monthly, averaging 580.817 BTU tn from Jan 1973 (Median) to Apr 2018, with 544 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 776.784 BTU tn in May 2000 and a record low of 405.027 BTU tn in Feb 1973. United States Energy Consumption: Industrial: Electrical System Energy Losses data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Energy Information Administration. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.RB002: Energy Consumption.

PyPSA-Eur is an open model dataset of the European power system at the transmission network level that covers the full ENTSO-E area. It can be built using the code provided at https://github.com/PyPSA/PyPSA-eur.

It contains alternating current lines at and above 220 kV voltage level and all high voltage direct current lines, substations, an open database of conventional power plants, time series for electrical demand and variable renewable generator availability, and geographic potentials for the expansion of wind and solar power.

Not all data dependencies are shipped with the code repository, since git is not suited for handling large changing files. Instead we provide separate data bundles to be downloaded and extracted as noted in the documentation.

This is the full data bundle to be used for rigorous research. It includes large bathymetry and natural protection area datasets.

While the code in PyPSA-Eur is released as free software under the GPLv3, different licenses and terms of use apply to the various input data, which are summarised below:

corine/*

• CORINE Land Cover (CLC) database
• Source: https://land.copernicus.eu/pan-european/corine-land-cover/clc-2012/
• Extract from Terms of Use:

Access to data is based on a principle of full, open and free access as established by the Copernicus data and information policy Regulation (EU) No 1159/2013 of 12 July 2013. This regulation establishes registration and licensing conditions for GMES/Copernicus users and can be found here. Free, full and open access to this data set is made on the conditions that:

• When distributing or communicating Copernicus dedicated data and Copernicus service information to the public, users shall inform the public of the source of that data and information.

• Users shall make sure not to convey the impression to the public that the user's activities are officially endorsed by the Union.

• Where that data or information has been adapted or modified, the user shall clearly state this.

• The data remain the sole property of the European Union. Any information and data produced in the framework of the action shall be the sole property of the European Union. Any communication and publication by the beneficiary shall acknowledge that the data were produced “with funding by the European Union”.

• https://land.copernicus.eu/pan-european/corine-land-cover/clc-2012?tab=metadata

eez/*

• World exclusive economic zones (EEZ)
• Source: http://www.marineregions.org/sources.php#unioneezcountry
• Extract from Terms of Use:

Marine Regions’ products are licensed under CC-BY-NC-SA. Please contact us for other uses of the Licensed Material beyond license terms. We kindly request our users not to make our products available for download elsewhere and to always refer to marineregions.org for the most up-to-date products and services.

• http://www.marineregions.org/disclaimer.php

natura/*

• Natura 2000 natural protection areas
• Source: https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/natura-10
• Extract from Terms of Use:

EEA standard re-use policy: unless otherwise indicated, re-use of content on the EEA website for commercial or non-commercial purposes is permitted free of charge, provided that the source is acknowledged (https://www.eea.europa.eu/legal/copyright). Copyright holder: Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV).

• https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/natura-10#tab-metadata

naturalearth/*

• World country shapes
• Source: https://www.naturalearthdata.com/downloads/10m-cultural-vectors/10m-admin-0-countries/
• Extract from Terms of Use:

All versions of Natural Earth raster + vector map data found on this website are in the public domain. You may use the maps in any manner, including modifying the content and design, electronic dissemination, and offset printing. The primary authors, Tom Patterson and Nathaniel Vaughn Kelso, and all other contributors renounce all financial claim to the maps and invites you to use them for personal, educational, and commercial purposes.

No permission is needed to use Natural Earth. Crediting the authors is unnecessary.

• http://www.naturalearthdata.com/about/terms-of-use/

NUTS_2013_60M_SH/*

• Europe NUTS3 regions
• Source: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/gisco/geodata/reference-data/administrative-units-statistical-units
• Extract from Terms of Use:

In addition to the general copyright and licence policy applicable to the whole Eurostat website, the following specific provisions apply to the datasets you are downloading. The download and usage of these data is subject to the acceptance of the following clauses:

1. The Commission agrees to grant the non-exclusive and not transferable right to use and process the Eurostat/GISCO geographical data downloaded from this page (the "data").

2. The permission to use the data is granted on condition that: the data will not be used for commercial purposes; the source will be acknowledged. A copyright notice, as specified below, will have to be visible on any printed or electronic publication using the data downloaded from this page.

• https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/gisco/geodata/reference-data/administrative-units-statistical-units
• https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/about/policies/copyright

ch_cantons.csv

• Mapping between Swiss Cantons and NUTS3 regions
• Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_codes_for_Switzerland
• Extract from Terms of Use:

Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_codes_for_Switzerland

EIA_hydro_generation_2000_2014.csv

• Hydroelectricity generation per country and year
• Source: https://www.eia.gov/beta/international/data/browser/#/?pa=000000000000000000000000000000g&c=1028i008006gg6168g80a4k000e0ag00gg0004g800ho00g8&ct=0&ug=8&tl_id=2-A&vs=INTL.33-12-ALB-BKWH.A&cy=2014&vo=0&v=H&start=2000&end=2016
• Extract from Terms of Use:

Public domain and use of EIA content: U.S. government publications are in the public domain and are not subject to copyright protection. You may use and/or distribute any of our data, files, databases, reports, graphs, charts, and other information products that are on our website or that you receive through our email distribution service. However, if you use or reproduce any of our information products, you should use an acknowledgment, which includes the publication date, such as: "Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2008)."

• https://www.eia.gov/about/copyrights_reuse.php

GEBCO_2014_2D.nc

• GEBCO bathymetric dataset
• Source: https://www.gebco.net/data_and_products/gridded_bathymetry_data/version_20141103/
• Extract from Terms of Use:

The GEBCO Grid is placed in the public domain and may be used free of charge. Use of the GEBCO Grid

Sierra Leone Total Energy Consumption: Petroleum and Other Liquids data was reported at 0.019 BTU qn in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.018 BTU qn for 2022. Sierra Leone Total Energy Consumption: Petroleum and Other Liquids data is updated yearly, averaging 0.012 BTU qn from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2023, with 44 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.019 BTU qn in 2023 and a record low of 0.006 BTU qn in 2000. Sierra Leone Total Energy Consumption: Petroleum and Other Liquids data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Energy Information Administration. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sierra Leone – Table SL.EIA.IES: Energy Production and Consumption: Annual.