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.

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.

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.

Forecast: Fossil Fuel Energy Consumption in the US 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

United States Energy Consumption: Fossil Fuels data was reported at 7,001.586 BTU tn in Aug 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 6,913.155 BTU tn for Jul 2018. United States Energy Consumption: Fossil Fuels data is updated monthly, averaging 6,340.282 BTU tn from Jan 1973 (Median) to Aug 2018, with 548 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8,102.790 BTU tn in Jan 2004 and a record low of 4,788.247 BTU tn in Jun 1982. United States Energy Consumption: Fossil Fuels 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.RB002: Energy Consumption.

Fossil fuel consumption by U.S. households reached 5.5 quadrillion British thermal units in 2024. Natural gas, a source of heating and electricity generation, was the most common fuel type used, at around 4.6 quadrillion British thermal units. This figure represents a decrease in comparison to the previous year. Meanwhile, petroleum consumption by U.S. households also decreased in 2024, at 963 trillion British thermal units.

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 91.94 exajoules to U.S.' 8.2 exajoules. Fossil fuels are still a primary source of fuel around the world. U.S. fossil fuel consumption reached some 77.18 quadrillion British thermal units in 2023.

United States Energy Consumption: Commercial: Primary: Fossil Fuels (FF) data was reported at 202.620 BTU tn in Aug 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 198.159 BTU tn for Jul 2018. United States Energy Consumption: Commercial: Primary: Fossil Fuels (FF) data is updated monthly, averaging 280.585 BTU tn from Jan 1973 (Median) to Aug 2018, with 548 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 695.487 BTU tn in Jan 1977 and a record low of 165.304 BTU tn in Jul 1982. United States Energy Consumption: Commercial: Primary: Fossil Fuels (FF) 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.RB002: Energy Consumption.

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

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

This scatter chart displays renewable energy consumption (% of total final energy consumption) against fossil fuel energy consumption (% of total) in the United States. The data is about countries per year.

United States Energy Consumption: EP: Primary: Fossil Fuels (FF) data was reported at 1,517.818 BTU tn in Apr 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,625.703 BTU tn for Mar 2018. United States Energy Consumption: EP: Primary: Fossil Fuels (FF) data is updated monthly, averaging 1,815.618 BTU tn from Jan 1973 (Median) to Apr 2018, with 544 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,036.979 BTU tn in Aug 2007 and a record low of 1,112.712 BTU tn in Apr 1975. United States Energy Consumption: EP: Primary: Fossil Fuels (FF) 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.

The United States consumed approximately 93.58 quadrillion British thermal units of primary energy in 2023. This was a decrease in comparison to the previous year of roughly one quadrillion British thermal units. Primary energy refers to energy harvested directly from natural resources and includes both fossil fuels and renewable sources. U.S. has one of the highest energy consumptions in the world The U.S. has had a consistently strong demand for energy over the past two decades, ranking second among the largest primary energy consuming countries in the world, following China. As energy consumption increases, so have energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy, causing a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions in the country. Energy market shifts Fluctuations since the global financial crisis and energy crisis have resulted in part from destabilized fossil fuel markets. A surge and crash in international oil prices led the United States to invest more in domestic shale oil and natural gas production, as well as clean energy technologies. Renewable investments surged to 141 billion U.S. dollars in 2022.

Oil is the most consumed primary energy fuel in the world. In 2024, some ****** exajoules worth of oil were consumed. That year, the consumption of fossil fuels registered an increase compared to the previous year. Rising demand for fossil fuels Demand for fossil fuels has remained high, as overall primary energy demand continues to increase. Excluding the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the use of oil has consistently grown each year. Consumption of other non-renewable fuel types has been more varied. Global natural gas consumption has risen more or less consistently. Its properties as a less carbon-intensive fossil fuel than coal have led to an increase in its use in the power sector, overtaking coal use in major economies such as the United States. Fossil fuels by region The U.S. is the leading natural gas consuming country in the world, as well as the largest producer of this fossil fuel and of crude oil. Russia, China, and the Middle Eastern region follow, as they have either the richest reserves of these raw materials or account for the largest refining capacity.

This scatter chart displays electricity production from hydroelectric sources (% of total) against fossil fuel energy consumption (% of total) in Central America. The data is about countries.

United States Energy Consumption: Fossil Fuels: Natural Gas excl Supplemental Gas data was reported at 2,423.469 BTU tn in Apr 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2,861.178 BTU tn for Mar 2018. United States Energy Consumption: Fossil Fuels: Natural Gas excl Supplemental Gas data is updated monthly, averaging 1,776.249 BTU tn from Jan 1973 (Median) to Apr 2018, with 544 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,434.262 BTU tn in Jan 2018 and a record low of 960.084 BTU tn in Sep 1986. United States Energy Consumption: Fossil Fuels: Natural Gas excl Supplemental Gas 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.

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 11 exajoules in 2023. 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.

United States Energy Consumption: Fossil Fuels: Coal data was reported at 864.246 BTU tn in Apr 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 943.787 BTU tn for Mar 2018. United States Energy Consumption: Fossil Fuels: Coal data is updated monthly, averaging 1,550.016 BTU tn from Jan 1973 (Median) to Apr 2018, with 544 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,133.506 BTU tn in Aug 2007 and a record low of 844.204 BTU tn in Apr 2016. United States Energy Consumption: Fossil Fuels: Coal 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.

United States Energy Consumption: Trans: Primary: Fossil Fuels (FF) data was reported at 2,199.040 BTU tn in Apr 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2,284.674 BTU tn for Mar 2018. United States Energy Consumption: Trans: Primary: Fossil Fuels (FF) data is updated monthly, averaging 1,952.903 BTU tn from Jan 1973 (Median) to Apr 2018, with 544 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,480.626 BTU tn in Aug 2007 and a record low of 1,339.339 BTU tn in Feb 1974. United States Energy Consumption: Trans: Primary: Fossil Fuels (FF) 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.