Regan Brown
Fossil fuels have dominated the US energy mix for over a century, and while renewable energy sources are growing, fossil fuels still dominate. In 2023, fossil fuels accounted for about 84% of total US primary energy production, with petroleum, natural gas, and coal being the main sources. In the same year, about 60% of electricity generation was from fossil fuels, with coal, natural gas, petroleum, and other gases being used. The US is the world's second-largest producer of energy, producing 16% of the world's energy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of US energy production that is exported | 3.9% (2021) |
| Percentage of US energy production that is fossil fuels | 84% (2023) |
| Percentage of US electricity generated by fossil fuels | 60% (2023) |
| Percentage of US primary energy production from fossil fuels | 77.6% (2017) |
| Percentage of US energy demand met by fossil fuels | 80% (2018) |
| Percentage of US energy consumption that is fossil fuels | 84% (2023) |
| Percentage of US carbon emissions from fossil fuels | 84.5% (Petroleum: 46%, Natural Gas: 35%, Coal: 19%) |
| US fossil fuel consumption by source | Petroleum: 38% (2023), Natural Gas: 33% (2018), Coal: 11% (2021) |
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What You'll Learn
- Fossil fuels generated 60% of US electricity in 2023
- Petroleum, natural gas, and coal are the three major fossil fuels
- Fossil fuels produced 8% more carbon dioxide in 2022 than in 2020
- Fossil fuels accounted for 84% of total US energy production in 2023
- Crude oil production reached a record high in 2019
Fossil fuels generated 60% of US electricity in 2023
Fossil fuels have long dominated the US energy mix, and in 2023, they generated about 60% of US electricity. This equates to around 2,509 TWh of electricity. Fossil fuels—including coal, natural gas, petroleum, and other gases—were the primary energy source for the US, accounting for 84% of total production and 60% of electric generation. This percentage has decreased slightly over the past decade, with fossil fuels accounting for 80% of the nation's energy demand in 2018, down from 84% ten years prior.
The US is the world's second-largest producer of energy, generating 16% of the world's energy. In 2023, the total US primary energy consumption was about 94 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu), with fossil fuels contributing 38% of this total consumption. The transportation sector's primary energy consumption in 2023 was provided mostly by petroleum (89%), while the electric power sector's consumption came from other sources, with petroleum providing less than 1%.
The US has seen improvements in fracking, allowing natural gas production to increase by more than half by 2020, while coal production decreased by half during the same period. Petroleum consumption decreased in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but increased again in subsequent years as the economy recovered. Crude oil production reached a record high in 2019 due to more cost-effective oil well drilling and production technologies.
While fossil fuels continue to dominate the US energy landscape, renewable energy sources are growing rapidly. In 2018, solar and wind power accounted for less than 4% of US energy use, but by 2023, utility-scale renewable energy sources like solar and onshore wind had a lower Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) than fossil fuels. The US has also seen increases in the production of biofuels, hydrothermal resources, and geothermal energy, with state governments providing policies and incentives to further promote renewable energy development.
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Petroleum, natural gas, and coal are the three major fossil fuels
Fossil fuels have been a major energy source for the US for over a century, accounting for 84% of total energy production in 2023. Petroleum, natural gas, and coal are the three major fossil fuels, and they have played a significant role in the country's energy mix.
Petroleum
Petroleum, also known as crude oil, has been commercially exploited since the 19th century. It is a complex mixture of thousands of different molecules, primarily composed of hydrogen and carbon. Petroleum is a crucial energy source for the transportation sector, providing about 89% of its primary energy consumption. In 2023, petroleum accounted for about 38% of total US energy consumption, a decrease from its peak in the 1970s when it reached 49%.
Natural Gas
Natural gas is formed from the anaerobic decomposition of aquatic phytoplankton and zooplankton over millions of years. It has become an extremely valuable resource, with production tripling from 2000 to 2022. Natural gas is widely used in the industrial sector, with half of it employed for process heating and the remainder mostly for boilers. Improvements in fracking have significantly increased natural gas production, making it a prominent energy source in the US.
Coal
Coal is formed from the decomposition of terrestrial plants over geological time. It has a long history of use, dating back to early furnaces for smelting metal ore. Coal electrified rapidly from the 1950s to the 1970s, and it accounted for half of the annual electricity production until the 2010s. Coal production peaked in 2006, representing a third of total energy output. While coal use has declined in recent years due to the shift towards natural gas, it still plays a significant role in electricity generation, with 90% of coal used for this purpose in 2021.
Together, these three fossil fuels have dominated the US energy landscape, meeting the demands of various sectors and powering the nation's economic growth and development. However, there is a growing recognition of the environmental impacts of burning fossil fuels, and efforts are being made to transition towards renewable energy sources.
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Fossil fuels produced 8% more carbon dioxide in 2022 than in 2020
Fossil fuels have long been the primary source of energy in the US, though the energy mix has changed over time. In 2023, fossil fuels—petroleum, natural gas, and coal—accounted for about 84% of total US primary energy production. The US is the world's second-largest energy producer, generating 16% of the world's energy.
Fossil fuels are also the largest source of carbon emissions in the US. In 2022, US greenhouse gas emissions increased by 0.2% compared to 2021 levels. This was driven by a rebound in economic activity after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion increased by 8% relative to 2020 and 1% relative to 2021. This trend continued into 2023, with emissions from fossil fuels reaching record levels.
The largest sources of carbon pollution from energy in the US are petroleum (46%), natural gas (35%), and coal (19%). Motor gasoline and diesel are the largest contributors to petroleum emissions. While emissions from coal and natural gas combined have declined since 2008, petroleum emissions have decreased by only 17% during the same period.
The transportation sector is the largest source of direct greenhouse gas emissions in the US, with over 94% of the fuel used for transportation being petroleum-based. The industrial sector is the third-largest source of direct emissions, with greenhouse gas emissions coming primarily from burning fossil fuels for energy.
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Fossil fuels accounted for 84% of total US energy production in 2023
Fossil fuels—petroleum, natural gas, and coal—accounted for about 84% of total US primary energy production in 2023. This equates to around 84 quads of energy out of a total production of 102.83 quads. Fossil fuels have dominated the US energy mix for over a century, though the specific makeup of this mix has changed over time. Petroleum consumption, for example, peaked in the 1970s, when it accounted for about 49% of total US energy consumption. By 2023, its share had dropped to about 38%.
The US has been a net exporter of energy since 2019, exporting 3.9% of its energy production in 2021 and 7.6% in 2023. In 2023, the US produced 16% of the world's energy, second only to China. Fossil fuels have long been the predominant source of US energy production, though renewable energy sources are growing. In 2018, solar and wind power accounted for less than 4% of US energy use, but by 2020, wind, solar, and biofuels production had increased by a factor of ten since 2000.
In 2023, fossil fuels generated 2,509 TWh of electricity, making up 60% of all electricity generation. This is a slight decrease from 2008, when emissions from coal and gas combined peaked, and they have since declined by 25%. Petroleum, the largest source of carbon pollution from energy, declined by 17% over the same period. Nuclear energy and renewable energy sources made up 19% and 21% of electricity generation in 2023, respectively.
The US industrial sector is the country's largest energy sector, using 33% of total energy in 2021. The transportation sector is the second-largest, using 29% of total energy consumption. Fossil fuels are the predominant energy source for transportation, with petroleum providing about 89% of the sector's primary energy consumption in 2023.
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Crude oil production reached a record high in 2019
Fossil fuels have dominated the US energy mix for over a century, and in 2023, they accounted for 84% of total energy production. Petroleum, natural gas, and coal are the primary fossil fuels used in the US, and they also contribute the most to carbon emissions in the country.
Crude oil production in the US has been on an upward trajectory over the past decade, largely driven by horizontal drilling and fracking operations. In 2019, annual US crude oil production reached a record level of 12.23 million barrels per day, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). This represented an 11% increase compared to 2018 levels, with a monthly average of 12.86 million barrels per day in November 2019—the highest in US history.
Texas has consistently been the top crude oil-producing state, contributing 41% of the nation's total in 2019. Texas's crude oil production averaged 5.07 million barrels per day for the year and peaked at 5.35 million barrels per day in December 2019. The Permian region's production boost also contributed to New Mexico's 36% crude oil production increase in 2019, making it the second-largest state-level growth.
Colorado and North Dakota likewise set record production levels in 2019, at about 514,000 and 1.4 million barrels per day, respectively. Oklahoma's production climbed by 32,000 barrels per day, but it did not surpass its record set in 1967. Overall, the US crude oil output in July 2023 approached its pre-COVID peak in 2019, demonstrating the continued significance of crude oil production in the country's energy landscape.
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Frequently asked questions
Fossil fuels accounted for 84% of total US primary energy production in 2023.
The three major fossil fuels used in the US are petroleum, natural gas, and coal.
Fossil fuels generated 60% of the US electricity in 2023.
The industrial sector, including manufacturing, agriculture, mining, and construction, consumes 32% of all energy in the US.
Petroleum is the largest source of carbon emissions in the US, contributing 46% of total carbon pollution from fossil fuels.
