WASHINGTON, 3rd July, 2024 (WAM) – In 2023, 94 quadrillion British thermal units (quads) was consumed in the United States, a 1% decrease from 2022, according to Monthly Energy Review released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration's today. Fossil fuels—petroleum, natural gas, and coal— accounted for nearly 83% of total U.S. energy consumption in 2023. Non-fossil fuel energy — from renewable sources and from nuclear — accounted for the other 17%. In 2023, petroleum remained the most-consumed fuel in the United States, as it has been for the past 73 years, and renewables exceeded coal for the first time in about 140 years.
Electricity generation from zero-carbon sources such as wind and solar has increased rapidly in recent years. In 2022, U.S. energy consumption from renewable sources surpassed that from nuclear for the first time since 1984. U.S. nuclear energy consumption began in the late 1950s and has remained fairly constant since the early 2000s.
Renewable energy consumption in the United States increased 2% from 2022 to a record 8.2 quads in 2023, largely because of increased use of biofuels in transportation and solar to generate electricity. In 2023, U.S. wind consumption decreased for the first time in 25 years.
Coal consumption declined to 8.2 quads in 2023, the least since around 1900. U.S. coal consumption has decreased by more than half since its peak in 2005, largely because of less coal use for electricity generation.
Nuclear energy consumption totaled 8.1 quads in 2023, a slight increase compared with 2022. The small increase largely came because of the new Vogtle Unit 3 reactor in Georgia in July 2023.
Petroleum consumption in the United States remained below its 2005 peak, totaling 35.4 quads in 2023. Most petroleum energy was consumed in transportation. Although use of electric vehicles has increased, petroleum remains the predominant fuel for cars, trucks, and planes.
U.S. natural gas consumption reached a record 33.6 quads in 2023, largely because of increased use for electricity. More natural gas has been consumed in the U.S. electric power sector than in any other economic sector every year since 2018.