Total energy consumption in the United States reached 96 quadrillion British thermal units (quads) in 2025, up 2% from 2024, according to a new report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration published today. Despite the rise of renewable energy over the past 250 years, fossil fuels still accounted for 82% of all energy consumed last year. Petroleum remained the most-used energy source, followed closely by natural gas, while renewable, coal, and nuclear energy each made up about 9% of total consumption.

The report traces America's energy evolution from wood-burning in 1776 through today's mix of modern sources. Wood dominated until coal overtook it around 1885, rising from 9% of total consumption in 1850 to 27% in 1870 as railroads connected the country coast to coast. Petroleum surpassed coal as the leading energy source in 1950, driven by the explosion of automobiles—from 8 million cars in 1920 to more than 50 million by 1950. Natural gas infrastructure expanded after 1925, when the first all-welded pipeline stretched 200 miles between Louisiana and Texas, eventually creating a nationwide network by 1950. In the late 20th century, the first full-scale commercial nuclear plant came online in Pennsylvania in 1957, and the U.S. nuclear fleet peaked at 112 operable units, with 94 still operating in 2025.

The 21st century has brought significant shifts in America's energy mix. The report finds that in 2022, U.S. energy consumption from renewables surpassed nuclear for the first time since 1984, and in 2023, renewables exceeded coal use for the first time since the 1880s. Wind and solar accounted for more energy than hydropower in 2025, while biofuels became the most-used renewable energy source in 2016. Between 2011 and 2020, more than 100 coal-fired power plants were replaced with or converted to natural gas, and by 2025, natural gas generated more electricity than any other individual source and was the most common home heating fuel. U.S. petroleum use in 2025 remained below pre-pandemic levels, the report notes.

The shift away from coal and toward natural gas accelerated in the 2000s when shale gas production became more widely available and cheaper thanks to horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, according to the EIA. Despite total U.S. energy use remaining relatively flat between 2000 and 2020—with temporary petroleum declines during the 2007–2009 financial crisis and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic—recent growth has been driven by new electricity demands. Data centers, cryptocurrency mining, and electric vehicles have pushed consumption higher, with nearly 6 million EVs on U.S. roads in 2024, almost 6 times more than in 2018. U.S. light-duty EV electricity consumption reached 24 billion kilowatthours in 2025, nearly 15 times more than in 2018.

The EIA expects U.S. electricity demand to grow faster than any time since 2000 between now and the end of 2027, mostly because of data centers. While 2025's total energy use of 96 quads remains below the record 99 quads set in 2007, the combination of electrification and new technologies is reshaping America's energy landscape. Even as renewables continue to gain ground—having overtaken both nuclear and coal in recent years—fossil fuels' 82% share shows that the transition away from petroleum, natural gas, and coal still has a long way to go.