In the guide below, we provide a summary/breakdown of energy in the United States.
We look at consumption, production, energy sources that make up the energy mix, energy use by industry, a forecast for future energy use, and more.
Summary – Energy In The United States
Energy In The United States Compared To The Rest Of The World
China is the world leader for energy consumption and production
Total Primary Energy Consumption In The United States
In 2019, total U.S. primary energy consumption was equal to about 100.2 quadrillion Btu
United States’ Total Primary Energy Consumption vs China’s Total Primary Energy Consumption
China’s primary energy consumption is currently significantly higher than the US’
Per Capita Energy Consumption In The United States
Separate to total energy consumption, we identify the US’ per capita energy consumption in the guide below
United States’ Per Capita Energy Consumption vs China’s Per Capita Energy Consumption
The US’ per capita energy consumption is currently significantly higher than China’s
Total Electricity Consumption In The United States
In 2018, the US’ total electricity consumption was 4288.8 TWh
Sectors & Industries That Consume The Most Energy In The United States
The electric power sector is responsible for the highest total primary energy use of all sectors in the US
The transportation sector and industrial sector are the next two higher consuming sectors behind electric power
How Much Energy The United States Produces
In 2017, the amount of energy produced in the United States was equal to about 87.5 quadrillion Btu
One report indicates that energy production was 89.6% of US energy consumption
This may suggest the US was at a slight domestic energy deficit
How Much Electricity The United States Produces
The total production of all electric energy producing facilities is 4,095 bn kWh, compared to a total consumption of 3,902.00 billion kWh
From this electricity production vs consumption data below, the US may be at a slight domestic electricity surplus
United States’ Electricity Production vs China’s Electricity Production
The US’ total electricity production is currently lower than China’s total electricity production
Where The United States Gets It’s Energy From – Energy Mix
The vast majority of the United States’ energy mix may still be made up of fossil fuels
Natural gas is first, petroleum (crude oil and natural gas plant liquids) in second, and coal is third
We note some trends and nuances about the US’ energy mix below
United States Energy Mix vs China’s Energy Mix
The US might currently use less coal than China does
Energy Sources Used Just For Electricity Generation In The United States
A large majority of the US’ energy used just for electricity generation might still come from fossil fuels
Recent Energy Trends In The United States
Some of the notable recent energy trends in the US over the last decades might be:
– Energy production has experienced plateaus along with increases
– Electricity consumption has experienced plateaus along with increases
– Coal consumption has generally decreased as a % share
– Natural gas consumption has generally increased as a % share
– The consumption of several renewable energy sources have generally increased as a % share
Forecasts & Projections For Energy In The United States In The Future
Energy sector forecasts and projections might not be considered definitive for a number of reasons.
There’s conflicting information with some projections, along with variables, uncertainties and tradeoffs to consider with different energy sources
A summary of the available projection opinions and data might be:
– Primary Energy Use
Some projections indicate that fossil fuels will still make up the greatest share of primary energy use in the future – in particular natural gas
This might be because they can be low cost, and also reliable
Other projections indicate that renewables might make up a bigger % of primary energy consumption, and may grow the most in % energy share
– Just Electricity Generation
Some projections indicate that natural gas and also renewables (solar and wind in particular) may make up a larger % share of just electricity generation in the future
– Energy Mix May Differ By State
The future energy mix of specific regions and States in the US can differ to one another, and compared to the national average
Projections For Renewables Energy In The United States In The Future
Some projections indicate that some renewables may only see a small increase in the US’ primary energy use or overall energy mix in the future
However, other projections indicate that renewables could grow significantly when just considering % share for the US’ electricity generation in the future
Solar and wind in particular might be the two forms of renewable energy to grow the most
Like all energy sources, renewable energy may have variables, uncertainties and tradeoffs to consider
One variable might be State policy on renewable energy
What Most Of The Petroleum In The United States Is Used For
Majority of the US’ petroleum right now might be used for the transportation sector
Heating Energy In The United States
We will come back and update this section when we have more information on heating energy in the US
Some Considerations For The Energy Sector Of Different Countries Going Into The Future
The Different Ways Energy Can Be Measured
We listed the different ways energy can be measured in a separate guide
Primary Energy Consumption In The United States – Total
Total primary energy consumption takes into account consumption of all primary energy sources across the economy (i.e. not just energy used for electricity generation)
According to eia.org:
[In 2019, total U.S. primary energy consumption was equal to about 100.2 quadrillion Btu]
The eia.org resource has a break down of this primary energy consumption available as well
The United States’ Total Primary Energy Consumption vs China’s Total Primary Energy Consumption
Compared to the US’ primary energy consumption, China’s primary energy consumption is currently significantly higher
Energy Consumption In The United States – Per Capita
Separate to total energy consumption, per capita energy consumption takes into account the size of the population
According to worlddata.info:
[Based on a] total consumption of energy [figure] in the US [of] 3,902.00 billion kWh of electric energy per year … [this equates to a] Per capita … average of 11,927 kWh
The United States’ Per Capita Energy Consumption vs China’s Per Capita Energy Consumption
The US’ per capita energy consumption is much higher than China’s
Total Electricity Consumption In The United States
Total electricity consumption takes into account only electricity
It does not take into other forms of energy, such as petroleum based transport fuels.
According to iea.org:
[In 2018, the US’ total electricity consumption was 4288.8 TWh]
Sectors Or Industries That Use The Most Energy In The United States
The electric power sector is responsible for the highest total primary energy use of all sectors in the US
The transportation and industrial sectors consume the most energy behind the electric power sector, and one may consume slightly more than the other, depending on the annual data you look at (i.e. they can alternate between being second and third, and the gap in energy use between them can be bigger or smaller depending on the data, and the year analysed)
It’s worth noting that most other sectors consume electricity generated by the power sector
Total Energy Consumption, Including The Electric Power Sector
From eia.gov:
The total primary energy consumption from the major sectors in 2017 were:
Electric power—38.1%
Transportation—28.8%
Industrial—22.4%
[Residential was fourth at 6.2%, followed by commercial at 4.5%]
eia.gov mentions how (paraphrased) electricity generated from the electric power sector is consumed by some other industries
Total Energy Consumption, Excluding The Power Sector
From americangeosciences.org:
In terms of share of all energy consumption, including electricity, the break down between the sectors is:
The industrial sector – 32%
The transportation sector – 29%
[The residential sector was third at 21%, and the commercial sector behind that at 19%]
[americangeosciences.org also breaks down of what industries are included in each of these sectors]
From eia.gov:
The % of energy use by end use sectors in 2017 was:
Industrial – 32%
Transportation – 29%
[Residential was third at 20%, and commercial behind that at 18%]
[eia.gov also provides a breakdown of the industries and areas within these sectors in their resource]
education.psu.edu has a total energy flow chart for the different sectors in the US in their report
It shows (paraphrased) what energy sources are used the most by the different sectors (as a %) by showing where the energy flows to (expressed in Btu)
Sectors & Industries That Use The Most Energy Worldwide
Read more about the sectors and industries that use the most energy in different countries worldwide in this guide
How Much Energy The United States Produces
From the data below on energy production vs energy consumption in the US, the US may be at a slight domestic energy deficit (of around 10%)
Energy Production In Btu
From eia.gov:
In 2017, the amount of energy produced in the United States was equal to about 87.5 quadrillion Btu …
Energy Production vs Energy Consumption
From eia.gov:
… the amount of energy produced in the United States [was …] equal to about 89.6% of U.S. energy consumption.
[This difference] was mainly [in] the energy content of net imports of crude oil.
How Much Electricity The United States Produces
From the electricity production vs consumption data below, the US may be at a slight domestic electricity surplus
Electricity Production In kWh
From worlddata.info:
The total production of all electric energy producing facilities is 4,095 bn kWh, compared to a total consumption of 3,902.00 billion kWh
The United States’ Electricity Production vs China’s Electricity Production
Compared to the United States, China’s total electricity production may be higher
Where The United States Gets It’s Energy From – Energy Mix
Fossil fuels make up majority of energy production in the US – natural gas, oil and coal combined account for over a 75% share
Natural gas is first, petroleum (crude oil and natural gas plant liquids) in second, and coal third
Coal is third
What’s interesting to note is that in the last decade or so, the US may have increased it’s use of natural gas and decreased it’s use of petroleum as a % share of total energy use
Another note about energy mix is that is differs by sector – for example, the electricity generation sector and transport sectors might have very different energy mixes in terms of the % share that each energy source makes up
2017 Energy Mix
From eia.gov:
[In terms of] U.S. primary energy production in 2017:
Natural gas—31.8%
Petroleum (crude oil and natural gas plant liquids)—28.0%
Coal—17.8%
[Renewable energy is fourth at 12.7%, followed by nuclear electric power at 9.6%]
2012 Energy Mix
From infoplease.com:
In 2012, an energy sources breakdown was:
Oil 35%
Natural gas 25%
Coal 20%
[Renewable Energy was fourth at 9%, followed by nuclear at 8%]
Energy Mix By Sector
Each sector may have different predominant energy sources that make up their energy mix
From eia.gov:
For example, petroleum provides about 92% of the energy used for transportation, but only 1% of the energy used to generate electricity.
The United States’ Energy Mix vs China’s Energy Mix
The US might currently use less coal than China does
Where Other Major Countries Get Their Energy From – Energy Mix
We’ve done a separate guide about the energy mixes of the major countries in the world.
You can compare the US’ energy mix to the energy mix’s of other countries.
Energy Sources Used Just For Electricity Generation In The United States
Separate to total energy consumption is primary energy sources used specifically for electricity generation.
A large majority of the US’ energy used just for electricity generation might still come from fossil fuels – over 50%
From eia.gov:
[In 2017 in the United States:]
63% of … electricity generation was from fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, petroleum, and other gases).
[20% was from nuclear energy, and about 17% was from renewable energy sources]
Read a full breakdown of total energy generation at eia.gov
Recent Energy Trends In The United States
Some of the notable recent energy trends in the US over the last decades might be:
– Energy production has experienced plateaus along with increases
– Electricity consumption has experienced plateaus along with increases
– Coal consumption has generally decreased as a % share
– Natural gas consumption has generally increased as a % share
– The consumption of several renewable energy sources have generally increased as a % share
Recent Energy Production & Consumption Trends
The iea.org report shows several graphs
They may show that from 1990 up until 2018 (our paraphrased notes):
– Energy production has plateaued up to 2009, before being on the uptrend since
– Final electricity consumption had increased from 1990 to 2008, before somewhat plateauing since
Recent Energy Mix Trends
Our paraphrased notes from eia.gov, e-education.psu.edu, and worlddata.info about potential recent US energy trends up to 2017 are:
Coal use has been decreasing
Natural Gas use has been increasing
Crude oil was decreasing but has been increasing recently
Natural gas plant liquids (NGPL) have been increasing
Renewable energy sources have been increasing (solar, wind especially)
iea.org shows a graph, and our paraphrased notes on that graph are:
Coal is decreasing
Natural gas is increasing
Oil is staying roughly the same
Nuclear is staying roughly the same
Wind and solar are slightly increasing
The iea.org graph is worth looking at because it also shows other energy sources like hydropower, bioenergy, and so on.
Recent Trends For Energy Sources Used In Electricity Generation Specifically
Our summary of wikipedia.org’s data on US electricity generation by energy source (paraphrased notes) is:
Coal use is decreasing
Natural gas use is increasing
Renewable energy use is increasing
Forecasts & Projections For Energy In The United States In The Future
Energy sector forecasts and projections might not be considered definitive for a number of reasons.
But, our subjective summary of the collection of data on forecasts and projections for energy in the US in the future is:
– Primary Energy Consumption
Primary energy consumption projections may vary
Some reports indicate that fossil fuels, including oil, coal and natural gas are still expected to provide majority of the energy share in the US’ energy mix in the future
Natural gas in particular might be used, and low prices for some fossil fuels like natural gas may incentivise their use
There are other reports however that indicate that renewables might make up a bigger % of primary energy consumption in the future, and may grow the most in % energy share
– Just Electricity Generation
Natural gas and also renewables (solar and wind in particular) may make up a larger % share of electricity generation in the future than they do now
– Projections & Forecasts Might Be Subjective & Potential Outcomes Only i.e. They Aren’t Definitive
There’s some information that criticises or conflicts with future energy projection
Additionally, there’s variables and uncertainties that can make forecasts and projections difficult to make
We list some of these variables and uncertainties below
Projections For 2035 – Energy Consumption
From e-education.psu.edu:
A prediction of US energy consumption in 2035 is Oil 32%, Natural Gas 26%, Coal 20%, Renewables 16%, and Nuclear 9%
Renewables are the biggest growth compared to 2012 numbers, increasing from 8% in 2012 to 16% in 2035
Projections For 2050 – Primary Energy
Renewables and natural gas will be the primary sources of new energy generation from 2050
Renewables will remain behind natural gas in terms of energy produced
Driven by growth in wind and solar generation, the renewable energy industry will increase from 18% in 2018 to 31% in 2050
– smart-energy.com
[By 2050:]
… fossil fuels (crude oil, coal, and natural gas) will continue supplying about 80% of America’s energy for the next 32 years through 2050 [partly because they are low-cost, dependable and reliable energy]
Nuclear’s share of total energy will gradually fall from 8.4% this year to slightly above 6% in 2050
… all renewables together … will supply less than 15% of America’s energy …
– aei.org
Projections For 2050 – Electricity Generation
By 2050, the electricity generation mix [could be] 39% natural gas, 31% renewables, 12% nuclear and 17% coal
Renewables specifically [could be] 48% solar PV, 25% wind, 18% hydroelectric, 4% geothermal and 5% other
– eia.gov
[Some studies show that the] U.S. can generate most of its electricity from renewable energy by 2050
Variable resources such as wind and solar power can provide up to about half of U.S. electricity, with the remaining 30 percent from other renewable sources
[This scenario needs specific policies and measures to become a reality though – so, these studies may be more speculative than a proven reality at this stage]
– ucsusa.org
General Projections – Electricity Generation
From e-education.psu.edu:
[US electricity generation is expected to grow in the future]
[Natural gas share is expected to continue to grow along with renewables, and coal may decrease]
Conflicting Information With Some Projections
Paraphrased from insideclimatenews.org, some of the conflicting information that might go against some of the EIA’s projections for energy mix in the future might be:
[Don’t take into account changes to laws and regulations]
[Go against some trends being seen right now such as the growth in wind energy in the MidWest]
[Don’t take into account that …] no new coal plants are being built in the United States due to high costs, and the existing ones would be well beyond their useful lives by 2050
[Don’t take into account offshore wind energy growth in addition to onshore]
Variables & Uncertainties
There may be different variables and uncertainties that may impact the energy mix in the future.
Some of those variables and uncertainties might include but aren’t limited to:
– Economic activity (growth vs no growth)
– Prices of energy sources like oil
– Technological progress for things like mining, and also power plants
– Energy policies
– Changes to regulations and laws
– And, more
Projections For Renewable Energy In The United States In The Future
Summarising the information about renewables from the section above:
– Share Of Primary Energy
Some of the lowest estimates put renewable energy at an energy share of around 3-4% higher than today by 2050, from 12% to around 16%.
– Share Of Energy For Electricity Generation
For just electricity generation, and not total energy consumption, renewable energy electricity % share may jump as high as 30-40%, according to some estimates
Some studies indicate that most of the US’ electricity can be supplied by renewables by 2050 based on current technology, but this might be more speculative at this stage
– Variables, Uncertainties & Tradeoffs For The Future Of Renewable Energy
Like all energy sources, renewable energy may have variables, uncertainties and tradeoffs to consider
One variable might be State policy on renewable energy
– Read more
You can read more about renewables in the US in 2018, and some projections for the future in the prescouter.com report
What Most Of The Petroleum In The United States Is Used For
Majority of the US’ petroleum might be used for the transportation sector
Approximately 72.1% of the petroleum in the U.S. is used for transportation (e-education.psu.edu)
Heating Energy
Aside from electricity generation and energy for transport, heating and cooling is one of the other main uses for energy across society.
We will come back and update this section when we have more information on heating and cooling energy in the US
Sources
1. https://www.infoplease.com/science-health/energy/us-energy-sources-2006-2012
2. https://www.infoplease.com/science-health/energy/us-energy-consumption-energy-source-2002-2012
3. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/?page=us_energy_home
4. https://www.worlddata.info/america/usa/energy-consumption.php
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_in_the_United_States
6. https://www.americangeosciences.org/critical-issues/faq/what-are-major-sources-and-users-energy-united-states
7. https://www.e-education.psu.edu/egee102/node/1930
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy_in_the_United_States
9. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/102615/4-things-know-about-future-us-energy.asp
10. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/04/why-renewable-energy-isnt-going-anywhere-in-the-united-states-despite-president-trumps-executive-order
11. https://www.climaterealityproject.org/blog/follow-leader-how-11-countries-are-shifting-renewable-energy
12. https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/aeo/pdf/aeo2019.pdf
13. https://www.smart-energy.com/industry-sectors/distributed-generation/2019-us-energy-outlook-released/
14. http://www.aei.org/publication/chart-of-the-day-despite-all-of-the-hype-and-hope-americas-energy-future-will-be-based-on-fossil-fuels-not-renewables/
15. https://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/smart-energy-solutions/increase-renewables/renewable-energy-80-percent-us-electricity.html
16. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/28012019/eia-annual-energy-outlook-coal-renewable-wind-utility-analyst-projections-impact
17. https://www.prescouter.com/2019/04/2018-was-a-record-year-for-renewable-energy-2019-could-be-the-same/
18. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/us-energy-facts/
19. https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics?country=USA&fuel=Energy%20consumption&indicator=TotElecCons
20. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/use-of-energy/
21. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_in_the_United_States#Trends_and_projections
22. https://www.iea.org/countries/united-states
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