America's Energy Shift: From Coal To What? (1950–2024)

A Visual Capitalist animation using U.S. Energy Information Administration data shows the evolution of U.S. energy generation since 1950. Natural gas has become the leading energy source, growing substantially to surpass coal and oil by 2024. Coal usage peaked in the early 2000s and has since sharply declined. Crude oil consumption resurged in the early 2010s, reaching a peak in 2024. Renewables like wind and solar have consistently grown since 2005, though they remain relatively small overall. Nuclear energy experienced rapid growth until the 1990s, then plateaued due to costs and regulation. In 2024, wind energy reached 1.5 quadrillion BTUs, and solar reached 1.1 quadrillion BTUs. Globally, fossil fuels supplied nearly 60% of power generation in 2024. Coal contributed 35% of the total global power generation in 2024. The U.S. energy landscape has significantly shifted over the past seven decades.