U.S. power generation by source 2023

In the United States, electricity derived from coal has decreased over the past two decades, with the annual output declining by almost 63 percent between 2010 and 2023. In contrast, there has been a rise in natural gas and renewable sources within the energy mix.

How is electricity generated in the U.S.?

Most electricity in the U.S. is generated from steam turbines, which can be powered by fossil and nuclear fuels, biomass, geothermal, and solar thermal energy. Other systems such as gas turbines, hydro turbines, wind turbines, and solar photovoltaics are also major generation technologies. Electric utilities in the U.S. generated more than 2,176 terawatt hours in 2023, accounting for just over half of the power output in the country that year.

Growing renewable capacity

Renewable sources have become more prominent in the U.S. in recent years, particularly wind, hydro, and solar energy. The former has overtaken conventional hydropower, becoming the leading renewable energy source in the U.S. since 2019. Wind and solar power have also accounted for the largest share of electricity capacity additions in the country.

Net electricity generation in the United States from 1990 to 2023, by energy source (in terawatt-hours)

Characteristic	Natural gas	Renewables	Nuclear electric power	Coal	Petroleum	Other gases	Hydroelectric pumped storage
2023	1,802.06	893.52	775.35	675.26	16.47	11.45	-5.9
2022	1,667.07	900.82	771.54	831.51	22.93	11.72	-6.03
2021	1,579.19	815.27	779.65	898	19.17	11.4	-5.11
2020	1,626.79	783.01	789.88	773.39	17.34	11.82	-5.32
2019	1,588.53	728.67	809.41	964.96	18.34	12.59	-5.26
2018	1,471.84	706.82	807.08	1,149.49	25.23	13.46	-5.9
2017	1,297.7	686.58	804.95	1,205.84	21.39	12.47	-6.5
2016	1,379.27	609.45	805.69	1,239.15	24.21	12.81	-6.69
2015	1,334.67	544.24	797.18	1,352.4	28.25	13.12	-5.09
2014	1,126.64	538.58	797.17	1,581.71	30.23	12.02	-6.17
2013	1,124.84	522.07	789.02	1,581.12	27.16	12.85	-4.68
2012	1,225.89	494.57	769.33	1,514.04	23.19	11.9	-4.95
2011	1,013.69	513.34	790.2	1,733.43	30.18	11.57	-6.42
2010	987.7	427.38	806.97	1,847.29	37.06	11.31	-5.5
2005	760.96	357.65	781.99	2,012.87	122.23	13.46	-6.56
2000	601.04	356.48	753.89	1,966.27	111.22	13.96	-5.54
1995	469.06	384.8	673.4	1,709.43	74.55	13.87	-2.73
1990	372.77	357.24	576.86	1,594.01	126.46	10.38	-3.51

Loading statistic...

Download

Source

Show detailed source information?

Already a member?

Source

Use Ask Statista Research Service

Release date

March 2024

More information

Region

United States

Survey time period

1990 to 2023

Supplementary notes

According to the source:
Coal: includes anthracite, bituminous coal, subbituminous coal, lignite, waste coal, and coal synfuel.
Petroleum: includes distillate fuel oil, residual fuel oil, petroleum coke, jet fuel, kerosene, other petroleum, and waste oil. Includes propane since 2011.
Natural gas: includes natural gas, plus a small amount of supplemental gaseous fuels.
Other gases: includes blast furnace gas and other manufactured and waste gases derived from fossil fuels. Includes propane gas until 2010.
Hydroelectric pumped storage: includes pumped storage facility production minus energy used for pumping.
Renewables: figures were calculated by Statista and include hydroelectric conventional, biomass, geothermal, solar/PV, and wind.

Values have been rounded.

Open this statistic in...

Spanish

Citation formats