82% of U.S. energy comes from fossil fuels, 8.7% from nuclear, and 8.8% from renewable sources. In 2023, renewables surpassed coal in energy generation. 1 Wind and solar are the fastest growing renewable sources, but contribute less
Petroleum and natural gas Petroleum has been the top source of US energy since data tracking began in 1950. In 1977 and 1978, it peaked at 49% of all of US energy consumption. All primary energy-use sectors —electric
82% of U.S. energy comes from fossil fuels, 8.7% from nuclear, and 8.8% from renewable sources. In 2023, renewables surpassed coal in energy generation. 1 Wind and solar are the
This article focuses on the quantity of energy we consume — looking at total energy and electricity consumption; how countries compare when we look at this per person; and how energy consumption is changing over time. In our pages
Data source: Energy Information Administration (EIA) PV Intel In 2022, wind energy contributed 10.1% of the total electricity generated in the United States. Wind and solar together produced 14.8% of U.S. electricity in
United States: Many of us want an overview of how much energy our country consumes, where it comes from, and if we''re making progress on decarbonizing our energy mix. This page provides the data for your chosen country across all
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has calculated that the highest statewide average solar voltaic capacity factors are in Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada (each 26.3 percent), and
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) says that utility-scale solar grew by 32%, while distributed solar increased by 15%, bringing their respective shares to nearly 5%
In total, the United States received nearly 17 percent of its electricity from solar, wind, and geothermal power in 2022, up from just over 5 energy sources. China produced 32
U.S. crude oil imports and exports both increased in 2023, and the United States remained a net crude oil importer. Crude oil accounted for the largest percentage share of U.S.
In 2020, consumption of renewable energy in the United States grew for the fifth year in a row, reaching a record high of 11.6 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu), or 12% of total U.S. energy consumption. Renewable
Solar penetration in the United States stood at roughly 5.4 percent in 2023, that is, solar accounted for5.4 percent of the electricity generated across the country that year.
A small percentage of all homes (2.7%) had solar panels installed by the end of 2022. Overall, residential solar generates a small fraction of total US energy, making up less than 1% of all electricity production in 2022.
EERE''s applied research, development, and demonstration activities aim to make renewable energy cost-competitive with traditional sources of energy. Learn more about EERE''s work in geothermal, solar, wind, and water power.
In 2023, solar energy accounted for nearly 4% of the total energy mix. States such as California and Texas lead the nation in solar installation capacity, taking full advantage of their
Solar energy accounted for some 6.91 percent of electricity generation in the United States in 2024, up from a 5.62 percent share a year earlier.
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that, in 2024, the United States added a record 30 gigawatts (GW) of utility-scale solar to the grid, accounting for 61% of new capacity additions to the U.S. electric grid
Key Facts The world currently has a cumulative solar energy capacity of 850.2 GW (gigawatts). 4.4% of our global energy comes from solar power. China generates more
Solar jobs in the United States have grown 167 percent in the last decade, five times faster than the general job growth rate in the US economy. More than 250,000 people
The Role of Solar Energy Solar energy has emerged as a powerhouse in the renewable landscape. The expanding use of solar installations—both residential and commercial—has
The U.S. solar energy sector is experiencing rapid expansion, with a 3.5% increase in solar energy jobs between 2021 and 2022. The majority, comprising about two
In total, the United States received nearly 17 percent of its electricity from solar, wind, and geothermal power in 2022, up from just over 5 energy sources. China produced 32 of global renewable electricity, followed by
California is second in the nation, after Texas, in total electricity generation from renewable resources. The state is the nation''s top producer of electricity from solar energy and
20% of Arizona''s total net generation. Solar power from utility-scale (1-megawatt or larger) photovoltaic, utility-scale solar thermal, and small-scale (less than 1 megawatt) customer-sited installations combined accounted
Renewable energy technologies encompass a broad, diverse array of technologies, including solar photovoltaics, solar thermal power plants and heating/cooling systems, wind farms,
More than half of energy use in homes is for heating and air conditioning U.S. households need energy to power numerous home devices and equipment, but on average,
In the form of solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar-thermal power, solar energy now provides over 3% of all electricity in the United States (CSP). The average
The United States is one of the countries with the highest consumption of renewable energy worldwide, ranking second after China and accounting for some 12 percent
According to our Electric Power Annual, solar power accounted for 3% of U.S. electricity generation from all sources in 2020. In our Short-Term Energy Outlook, we forecast that solar will account for 4% of U.S. electricity
The United States ranks second in the world for renewable energy consumption, accounting for around 12% of total US utility-scale electricity generation. Renewable sources
According to our Electric Power Annual, solar power accounted for 3% of U.S. electricity generation from all sources in 2020. In our Short-Term Energy Outlook, we forecast that solar will account for 4% of U.S. electricity generation in 2021 and 5% in 2022.
4.4% of our global energy comes from solar power. China generates more solar energy than any other country, with a current capacity of 308.5 GW. The US relies on solar for 3.9% of its energy, although this share is increasing rapidly every year. 3.2 million US homes have solar panels installed.
The US relies on solar for 3.9% of its energy, although this share is increasing rapidly every year. 3.2 million US homes have solar panels installed. 3,975,096 people are employed in the solar industry worldwide, and 263,883 of these are in the United States.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, as of September 2014 utility-scale solar had sent 12,303 gigawatt-hours of electricity to the U.S. grid. This was an increase of over 100% versus the same period in 2013 (6,048 GWh).
3,975,096 people are employed in the solar industry worldwide, and 263,883 of these are in the United States. The solar energy industry created more new jobs in the US than any other energy subsector last year. It would take around 18.5 billion solar panels to produce enough energy to power the entire US.
Regionally, the percentage varied significantly. U.S. homes installed 6.8 GW of solar energy capacity in 2023, a 12% increase from 2022. Among homeowners without solar power, 66.5% express interest in installing in the future. Notable statistics regarding this cohort include the following:
