Electricity in the United States is produced (generated) from diverse energy sources and technologies
The United States uses many different energy sources and technologies to generate electricity. The sources and technologies have changed over time, and some are used more than others.
The three major categories of energy for electricity generation are fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and petroleum), nuclear energy, and renewable energy. Most electricity is generated with steam turbines that use fossil fuels, nuclear, biomass, geothermal, or solar thermal energy. Other major electricity generation technologies include gas turbines, hydro (water) turbines, wind turbines, and solar photovoltaics.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration publishes data on electricity generation from utility-scale and small-scale systems. Utility-scale systems include power plants that have at least 1 megawatt (MW) of electricity generation capacity. Small-scale systems have less than 1 MW (1,000 kilowatts) of electric generation capacity. In 2023, total U.S. utility-scale electricity generation was about 4.18 trillion kilowatthours (kWh). EIA estimates that about 0.07 trillion kWh of electricity were generated with small-scale solar photovoltaic systems.1
Fossil fuels accounted for about 60% of U.S. electricity generation in 2023
Natural gas was the top source—about 43%—of U.S. utility-scale electricity generation in 2023. Natural gas is used in steam turbines and gas turbines to generate electricity.
Coal was the fourth-highest energy source—about 16%—of U.S. electricity generation in 2023. Nearly all coal-fired power plants use steam turbines. One power plant converts coal to a gas to use in gas turbines to generate electricity.
Petroleum was the source of about 0.4% of U.S. electricity generation in 2023. Residual fuel oil and petroleum coke are used in steam turbines. Distillate—or diesel—fuel oil is used in internal-combustion engines such as diesel-engine generators. Residual fuel oil and distillates can also be burned in steam turbines and gas turbines.
Other gases and other sources accounted for about 0.5% of U.S. utility-scale electricity generation in 2023. Other gases include blast furnace gas and other manufactured and waste gases derived from fossil fuels. Other sources include pumped-storage hydroelectric, non-biogenic municipal solid waste, batteries, hydrogen, purchased steam, sulfur, tire-derived fuel, and other miscellaneous energy sources.
Nuclear energy provides nearly one-fifth of U.S. electricity
Nuclear energy was the third-highest source—about 18%—of U.S. utility-scale electricity generation in 2023. Nuclear power plants use steam turbines to produce electricity from nuclear fission.
Renewable energy provides an increasing share of U.S. electricity
Many differentrenewable energy sources are used to generate electricity, and they were the source of about 21% of total U.S. utility-scale electricity generation in 2023. In 1990, renewable resources provided about 12% of utility-scale electricity generation.
Wind energy was the source of about 10% of total U.S. utility-scale electricity generation and accounted for 48% of the electricity generation from renewable sources in 2023. Wind turbines convert wind energy into electricity.
Hydropower (conventional) plants produced about 6% of total U.S. utility-scale electricity generation and accounted for about 27% of utility-scale electricity generation from renewable sources in 2023. Hydropower plants use flowing water to spin a turbine connected to a generator.
Solar photovoltaic and solar thermal power plants provided about 4% of total U.S. utility-scale electricity and accounted for 18% of utility-scale electricity generation from renewable sources in 2023. Nearly all solar electric generation was from photovoltaic systems (PV). PV conversion produces electricity directly from sunlight in a photovoltaic cell. Most solar-thermal power systems use steam turbines to generate electricity. EIA estimates that about 0.07 trillion kWh of electricity were generated with small-scale solar photovoltaic systems.
Biomass was the source of about 1% of total U.S. utility-scale electricity generation and accounted for 5% of the utility-scale electricity generation from renewable sources in 2023. Biomass is burned directly in steam-electric power plants, or it can be converted to a gas that can be burned in steam generators, gas turbines, or internal combustion engine generators.
Geothermal power plants produced less than 1% of total U.S. utility-scale electricity generation and accounted for about 2% of the utility-scale electricity generation from renewable sources in 2023. Geothermal power plants use steam turbines to generate electricity.
Last updated: March 26, 2024, with data from the Electric Power Monthly, February 2024; data for 2023 are preliminary.