Katerina Swanson
Fossil fuels have long been the primary source of energy in the United States, and they continue to play a significant role in electricity generation. In 2023, about 60% of electricity generated in the US came from fossil fuels, including coal, natural gas, petroleum, and other gases. This amounts to about 2,509 TWh of electricity produced from fossil fuels. While the contribution of coal to the energy mix has declined over the years, natural gas has become the top fossil fuel for electricity generation since 2016. The US has been the world's largest producer of natural gas since 2011. Fossil fuel combustion, however, contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, with the US seeing an 8% increase in carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels between 2020 and 2022.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of US electricity produced by fossil fuels in 2023 | 60% |
| Percentage of US electricity produced by fossil fuels in 2024 | 58% |
| Percentage of US electricity produced by fossil fuels in March 2025 | 49.2% |
| Fossil fuel with the largest share of US electricity production in 2021 | Natural gas (38%) |
| Fossil fuel with the second-largest share of US electricity production in 2021 | Coal (23%) |
| Fossil fuel with the largest share of US electricity production in 2022 | Natural gas (39.8%) |
| Fossil fuel with the second-largest share of US electricity production in 2022 | Coal (19.7%) |
| Percentage of US electricity produced by fossil fuels in 2015 | 65% |
| Percentage of US electricity produced by wind and solar in 2015 | 5.7% |
| Percentage of US electricity produced by wind and solar in 2025 | 24.4% |
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What You'll Learn
Fossil fuels generated 60% of US electricity in 2023
The three major fossil fuels are petroleum, natural gas, and coal. In 2023, these sources accounted for 84% of total US primary energy production. However, their contribution to electricity generation differs. In 2023, coal contributed 9% of total US energy consumption, down from 37% in 1950. Petroleum provided less than 1% of the electric power sector's primary energy consumption, while natural gas was the largest source of energy in the US, making up 38% of generation.
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that in 2023, about 4.18 trillion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity were generated at utility-scale electricity generation facilities. Fossil fuels accounted for 60% of this, with nuclear energy and renewable energy sources making up 19% and 21% respectively.
Fossil fuel-fired power plants are a leading source of air pollution. They produce greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, and toxic heavy metals, such as mercury. The largest sources of carbon pollution from energy in the US are petroleum, natural gas, and coal.
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Natural gas was the primary fuel type
Fossil fuels have long been the primary source of energy in the United States. In 2023, fossil fuels generated 2,509 TWh of electricity, accounting for 60% of all electricity generation in the US. Fossil fuels also accounted for about 84% of total US primary energy production in 2023.
Natural gas is used in various sectors, including industry, transportation, and residential. In 2021, the industry sector used 33% of total energy, with natural gas, electricity, and petroleum each accounting for about a third of that energy. The transportation sector used 29% of total energy in 2017, with petroleum accounting for 77.6% of that energy. The residential sector used 20% of total energy in 2017.
Natural gas is a major contributor to carbon emissions in the US. In 2022, fossil fuels produced 8% more carbon dioxide than in 2020. Natural gas accounted for 35% of carbon emissions from energy sources in 2023. The use of natural gas and coal to produce electricity is the key driver of the power sector's overall pollution emission levels. Fossil fuel-fired power plants remain a leading source of air pollution, and their combustion produces significantly more greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide, per unit of energy produced.
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Coal was the second most common fuel
Fossil fuels have long been the primary source of energy in the United States, and in 2023, they accounted for 60% of electricity generation. Fossil fuel combustion produces significantly more greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide, per unit of energy produced, and toxic heavy metals such as mercury are also byproducts, threatening the environment and human health.
In 2023, natural gas was the largest source of energy in the US, accounting for 39.8% of total energy production. Coal was the second most common fuel type, accounting for 19.7% of electricity production. This is a significant decline from 1950, when coal accounted for about 37% of total US energy consumption. The decrease in coal consumption is largely due to the electric power sector's increased use of other energy sources and reduced reliance on coal.
Coal combustion is the single largest source of sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions and the second largest source of nitrogen oxides (NOx), which together contribute to the formation of fine particulate matter and acid rain, damaging ecosystems. As natural gas has been replacing coal, emissions from these two sources have declined by 25% since 2008.
Nuclear energy was the third-largest source of US electricity generation in 2023, contributing about 18%. Renewable energy sources, including hydropower, solar photovoltaic, biomass, and geothermal power, made up the remaining 21% of electricity generation.
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Nuclear energy was third
In 2023, about 4.18 trillion kilowatthours (kWh) of electricity were generated at utility-scale electricity generation facilities in the United States. Fossil fuels—coal, natural gas, petroleum, and other gases—made up about 60% of this electricity generation.
Nuclear energy was the third-highest source of US electricity generation in 2023, accounting for about 18% to 19% of the total. This is a slight increase from 2022, when nuclear energy's share of total US energy consumption was about 9%. The slight year-on-year increase in nuclear energy generation can be attributed to a new reactor that came online in 2023.
Nuclear power plants use steam turbines to produce electricity from nuclear fission. They are similar to steam boilers in fossil fuel power plants, but the steam is produced from nuclear reactions rather than fuel combustion. Nuclear energy is considered a zero-emissions energy source, in contrast to fossil fuels, which are a major driver of pollution emission levels in the power sector. Fossil fuel combustion produces greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, and toxic heavy metals, such as mercury, which threaten the environment and human health.
Nuclear energy is an important component of the US energy mix, particularly as a baseload power source that can operate without much interruption throughout the year. However, it is worth noting that nuclear energy generation has been declining since 2020 due to the retirement of several nuclear plants.
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Renewable energy sources are growing
Fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas have long been the primary sources of energy in the US, contributing to about 84% of total energy production and 60% of electric generation as of 2023. However, there is a growing trend towards renewable energy sources, which are cleaner, more sustainable, and often cheaper alternatives.
Renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, and hydropower, are becoming increasingly prominent in the US energy mix. In 2023, about 21% of electricity generation in the US was from renewable sources, with solar PV accounting for about 70% of the growth in renewable electricity generation. This shift towards renewables is driven by the need to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change, as fossil fuels are the largest contributor to global carbon emissions.
The electricity sector is witnessing a significant expansion in solar photovoltaics and wind energy, building on the already substantial contribution of hydropower. Global renewable electricity generation is projected to surpass 17,000 terawatt-hours (TWh) by the end of this decade, marking a remarkable 90% increase from 2023 levels. This growth is supported by policies such as REPowerEU in the European Union and the Inflation Reduction Act in the United States, which aim to accelerate the deployment of renewable electricity.
The potential of renewable energy sources is vast, and their expansion is crucial to reducing emissions and combating climate change. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that renewable sources could provide 65% of the world's electricity supply by 2030 and decarbonize 90% of the power sector by 2050. This shift towards renewables is not just an environmental imperative but also an economic opportunity, driving inclusive economic growth, creating new jobs, and alleviating poverty.
While the growth in renewable energy sources is encouraging, more needs to be done to accelerate their adoption. Non-bioenergy renewables, including wind, hydro, geothermal, solar thermal, and ocean energy, need to significantly increase their share of the total energy supply to meet the targets outlined by the NZE Scenario. Annual renewable energy use must grow at an average rate of approximately 15% during the period 2024-2030 to achieve these goals.
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Frequently asked questions
In 2023, fossil fuels generated 60% of electricity in the US.
The main fossil fuels used for electricity production in the US are natural gas, coal, and petroleum.
In 2023, fossil fuels generated 2,509 TWh of electricity in the US.
Other sources of electricity in the US include nuclear energy and renewable energy sources such as hydropower, solar, wind, and geothermal.
