What are the top energy production sources in the US?

For 61 years, the United States has used more energy than it’s produced. That changed in 2019, when production surpassed consumption — and it’s remained that way since.^[1]

This is a bit of an anomaly. The nation made more energy than it’s used twice since data tracking began in 1950: From 1950 to 1953 and again shortly after from 1956 to 1957.

US energy production is a mixture of fossil fuels, nuclear energy, and renewable sources of energy.

How has US energy production changed over time?

Since the mid-20th century, the fossil fuels coal, natural gas, and crude oil have been the top forms of US-made energy. In 2023, they accounted for 75% of energy production.

Coal

In 2023, coal comprised 11.5% of US energy production. Coal was the top energy source from 1984 to 2010. Since then, production fell 50% from 2008 to 2023. Coal production hasn’t been at 2020–2023 lows since the early 1960s.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) has attributed the drop in coal production to reduced demand and increased competition with other energy sources, such as natural gas. Electricity demand during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a brief increase of coal production in 2021. Since then, coal production has not returned to previous levels of the nineties and aughts.

In 2022, the top producers of coal were:

• Wyoming (41.2%)
• West Virginia (14.0%)
• Pennsylvania (6.7%)
• Illinois (6.3%)
• Kentucky (4.8%)

The remaining 27% of came from 16 other states.

Natural gas and crude oil

Natural gas is the top energy source produced in the US, followed by crude oil. In 2023, natural gas was 38.2% of energy production, while crude oil was 26.1%. Combined, they accounted for 64.3% of total energy production.

Natural gas production has increased 90% since 2008. It surpassed coal production in 2011. Crude oil surpassed coal in 2015 and has grown 153% since 2008.

Improved drilling techniques have led to increased natural gas and crude oil production over the last decade. The result is increased yields and lower prices. Lower prices contributed to increased consumption of natural gas by industries such as electric power and industrial sectors.

Renewables, nuclear, and natural gas plant liquids

Renewables, nuclear power, and natural gas plant liquids (NGPLs) are 24.2% of total US energy production.

Renewable energy, which includes biomass, wind, hydroelectric, solar, and geothermal energy, was 8.2% of energy production in 2023. The EIA attributes increased production since 2001 to solar and wind.

Nuclear energy, 8.1% of energy produced in 2023, has produced similar levels of energy since 2004, between 8.0-8.5 British thermal units (BTUs).

NGPLs account for 8.4% of energy produced in the US in 2023, a record high for this energy type. NGPL production has more than tripled since 2005.

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