Katerina Swanson
Fossil fuels have long been the primary source of energy in the US, with coal, oil, and natural gas accounting for about 80% of the nation's energy demand as far back as data is available. In 2017, the three major fossil fuels—petroleum, natural gas, and coal—accounted for 77.6% of US primary energy production. In 2023, fossil fuels accounted for about 84% of total US primary energy production, with 60% of electricity generated from fossil fuels. The US is a highly developed and industrialized society, with Americans using a lot of energy in homes, businesses, and industries, as well as for personal travel and transportation of goods. While renewable energy sources are growing, fossil fuels continue to dominate the US energy landscape.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of total U.S. energy production by fossil fuels in 2023 | 84% |
| Percentage of U.S. energy demand fed by fossil fuels in 2018 | 80% |
| Percentage of U.S. primary energy production by fossil fuels in 2017 | 77.6% |
| Percentage of U.S. electricity generation by fossil fuels in 2023 | 60% |
| Percentage of U.S. fossil fuels contributed by natural gas in 2022 | 38% |
| Percentage of U.S. fossil fuels contributed by coal in 2023 | 23% |
| Percentage of U.S. fossil fuels contributed by petroleum in 2023 | <1% |
| Percentage of U.S. energy production exported in 2021 | 3.9% |
| U.S. total energy consumption in 2018 | 101.2 quadrillion Btu |
| U.S. total energy production in 2023 | 102.83 quads |
| U.S. total energy consumption in 2023 | 93.59 quads |
| Percentage of U.S. energy consumption by the electric power sector in 2023 | 38% |
| Percentage of U.S. energy consumption by the transportation sector in 2023 | 28% |
| Percentage of U.S. energy consumption by the industrial sector in 2023 | 23% |
| Percentage of U.S. energy consumption by households in 2023 | 7% |
| Percentage of U.S. energy consumption by commercial establishments in 2023 | <5% |
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What You'll Learn
Fossil fuel consumption in the US
Fossil fuels—petroleum, natural gas, and coal—accounted for about 84% of total US primary energy production in 2023. In 2021, the US was the world's second-largest producer of energy, generating 16% of the world's energy. In 2023, the US consumed about 94 quadrillion British thermal units (Btus) of energy, with fossil fuels accounting for the majority of energy generation. Natural gas provided 38%, coal 23%, and petroleum less than 1%.
The US has been a net exporter of energy since 2019, with net exports making up 7.6% of production in 2023. The US is the world's largest producer of natural gas liquids, which now make up 9% of fossil fuels. In 2023, the electric power sector accounted for about 96% of total US energy consumption. The industrial sector accounted for 23% of total energy use, followed by transportation at 28%, households at 7%, and commercial establishments at less than 5%.
The contribution of coal to total US energy consumption has declined from about 37% in 1950 to 9% in 2023, as the US electric power sector has increased its use of other energy sources and reduced coal consumption. In 2023, coal production accounted for about 11% of US total energy production. Nuclear energy production began in 1957 and grew each year through 1990, generally levelling off from 2001 through 2019. Nuclear surpassed coal in 2020 for the first time, as coal dipped to its lowest proportion in over 70 years.
While renewable energy sources are growing in the US, fossil fuels still dominate. In 2018, fossil fuels fed about 80% of the nation's energy demand, down from 84% a decade earlier. A 2020 Pew Research Center survey found that 77% of Americans believe it is more important to develop alternative energy sources than to produce more fossil fuels.
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Fossil fuel electricity generation
Fossil fuels—petroleum, natural gas, and coal—are primary energy sources that are used to generate electricity. In 2023, fossil fuels accounted for about 84% of total US primary energy production. In the same year, about 60% of electricity generation in the US was from fossil fuels, with nuclear energy and renewable energy sources accounting for 19% and 21% respectively.
The US is the world's second-largest producer of energy, generating about 16% of the world's energy. In 2023, the total energy production in the US was about 102.83 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu). Fossil fuels have long produced most of the energy in the US, and in 2018, they fed about 80% of the nation's energy demand. Natural gas, coal, and petroleum are the three major fossil fuels that combined accounted for about 77.6% of US primary energy production in 2017. In 2021, natural gas, electricity, and petroleum each accounted for about a third of the energy used by the industrial sector, the country's largest energy sector.
The use of renewable energy sources in the US has been growing rapidly. Solar and wind power use has grown significantly over the past decade, but as of 2018, they accounted for less than 4% of the energy used in the US. In 2023, the electric power sector accounted for about 96% of total US energy consumption. However, only about a third of the energy used by the electric power industry reaches end users as electricity, with the rest lost in the process of generating, transmitting, and distributing power.
While fossil fuels continue to dominate the US energy landscape, there is a growing public concern about climate change, and most Americans (77%) say it is more important to develop alternative energy sources such as solar and wind power than to produce more fossil fuels. Improvements in fracking have led to a significant increase in natural gas production since around 2010, while coal production has decreased. In 2023, coal production accounted for about 11% of US total energy production, a decline from about 37% in 1950.
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Fossil fuel production in the US
Fossil fuels have dominated the US energy mix for over a century, but the composition of this mix has changed over time. Coal, oil, and natural gas have played major roles in US industrialization and energy. Coal dominated in the 20th century, but oil and natural gas gained prominence after World War II. In the 1970s, petroleum consumption was at its peak, accounting for about 49% of total US energy consumption.
Hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," has had a significant impact on oil and gas production. When oil and natural gas production peaked in the 1970s, a continuous decline was expected. However, fracking, combined with favourable prices, brought large volumes of low-quality oil and gas resources to market. Fracking has particularly affected natural gas production, which has been shifting away from coal. From 1800 to 2022, coal accounted for about 39% of all fossil fuel production in the US, followed by natural gas (33%) and oil (28%).
In 2019, fossil fuels accounted for 80% of US energy production and consumption, with petroleum (crude oil and petroleum products) making up a significant portion of energy exports and imports. While fossil fuel production has continued to rise, so has production from non-fossil fuel sources such as nuclear power and renewables. In 2018, fossil fuels met about 80% of the nation's energy demand, a slight decrease from 84% a decade earlier. In 2023, fossil fuels accounted for about 84% of total US primary energy production, with coal at 11%, and petroleum and natural gas making up the rest.
While renewable energy sources are growing in the US, fossil fuels still dominate. In 2023, about 60% of electricity generation was from fossil fuels, with nuclear energy and renewable energy sources making up the rest. In 2018, solar and wind power accounted for less than 4% of all the energy used in the US.
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Fossil fuel vs renewable energy
Fossil fuels, including petroleum, natural gas, and coal, are primary energy sources that accounted for about 84% of total US primary energy production in 2023. In 2018, fossil fuels fed about 80% of the nation's energy demand, down slightly from 84% a decade earlier. The contribution of coal to total US energy consumption has declined from about 37% in 1950 to 9% in 2023, as the electric power sector has increased its use of other energy sources and reduced coal consumption.
Renewable energy sources, on the other hand, are harnessed from inexhaustible natural processes and can be used repeatedly without depletion. They include wind power, solar energy, hydropower, wood, and biofuels. In 2018, solar energy accounted for only 1% of the nation's total energy production, while hydropower contributed 2.8%. Although renewable resources are initially expensive to install, they are generally cheap to use. Sources like solar and wind can produce energy at no additional cost over the life of the panel or turbine. In 2016, a major commercial solar farm offered photovoltaic energy at $0.029 cents/kWh, levelling out the cost between renewable energy and fossil fuels. Government subsidies have also played a significant role in making renewable energy more affordable for consumers and businesses.
The US has witnessed a rapid growth in renewable energy sources, with solar and wind power usage increasing significantly over the past decade. In 2016, renewable energy generation in the US reached a record 22 gigawatts of capacity, surpassing fossil fuel growth. Texas, a state known for its oil production, has successfully developed wind power as its most dominant renewable resource, indicating a promising future for renewable energy expansion.
Despite the advancements in renewable energy, fossil fuels continue to dominate the US energy landscape. In 2023, about 60% of electricity generation in the US was from fossil fuels, while only 21% was from renewable energy sources. The high energy demand in the US, second only to China, and the inefficiency of the energy system contribute to the continued reliance on fossil fuels.
However, public opinion favours a shift towards renewable energy. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 77% of Americans believe it is more important to develop alternative energy sources like solar and wind power than to produce more fossil fuels. As concerns about climate change grow, renewable energy sources offer a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, which produce air pollution and contribute to global warming.
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Fossil fuel exports
Fossil fuels—petroleum, natural gas, and coal—accounted for about 84% of total US primary energy production in 2023. The US has been a net total energy exporter since 2019, with total energy exports exceeding total energy imports. In 2023, US crude oil imports and exports increased, with crude oil accounting for 66% of total energy imports and 29% of total energy exports. The US remained a net crude oil importer in 2023, importing about 8.51 million barrels per day (b/d) and exporting about 10.15 million b/d of petroleum. Crude oil exports accounted for 40% of total US gross petroleum exports.
The US has been a net coal exporter since at least 1949, with annual coal exports increasing by about 15% in 2023, contributing to about 8% of total energy exports. Coal production accounted for about 11% of US total energy production in 2023, a decline from about 37% in 1950. The contribution of coal to total US energy consumption has decreased as the electric power sector has adopted other energy sources and reduced coal consumption.
US natural gas exports reached a record high in 2023, contributing to about 26% of total US energy exports. Increases in liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, particularly to Europe, contributed to a 10% increase in total US natural gas exports. Natural gas imports decreased by about 3% from 2022 to 2023, equalling about 14% of total US energy imports.
In 2023, about 4,178 billion kilowatthours (kWh) of electricity were generated at utility-scale electricity generation facilities in the US. About 60% of this electricity generation was from fossil fuels, with 19% from nuclear energy and 21% from renewable energy sources. While renewable energy sources are growing in the US, fossil fuels still dominate, feeding about 80% of the nation's energy demand in 2018.
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Frequently asked questions
Fossil fuels generated about 60% of electricity in the US in 2023.
The three major fossil fuels used in the US are petroleum, natural gas, and coal.
Fossil fuels accounted for about 84% of total US primary energy production in 2023.
The contribution of coal to total US energy consumption has declined from about 37% in 1950 to 9% in 2023.
The US is the world's second-largest producer of energy, generating 16% of the world's energy.
