Electricity as a share of primary energy in United States
United States: Electricity as a share of primary energy was 17.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Electricity as a share of primary energy in United States, 1985–2025
Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, electricity as a share of primary energy in United States stood at 17.3%. That is the highest value across all 41 years on record.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 8.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electricity as a share of primary energy in United States peaked at 17.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 13.4%, in 1987.
United States ranks 41st of 79 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 41 years of available data.
Electricity as a share of primary energy in United States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 13.4% | — |
| 1986 | 13.4% | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 13.4% | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 13.4% | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 14.2% | +6.0% |
| 1990 | 14.5% | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 14.7% | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 14.5% | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 14.7% | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 14.7% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 14.9% | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 14.8% | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 14.9% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 15.4% | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 15.4% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 14.5% | -5.8% |
| 2001 | 14.5% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 14.7% | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 14.8% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 14.8% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 15.1% | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 15.3% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 15.4% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 15.7% | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 15.8% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 16.0% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 16.1% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 16.3% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 16.0% | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 16.0% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 16.1% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 16.1% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 16.0% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 16.0% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 16.0% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 16.9% | +5.5% |
| 2021 | 16.5% | -2.4% |
| 2022 | 16.7% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 16.8% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 17.2% | +2.2% |
| 2025 | 17.3% | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 13.6% | 13.4% | 14.2% | 5 |
| 1990s | 14.9% | 14.5% | 15.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.1% | 14.5% | 15.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.1% | 16.0% | 16.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.9% | 16.5% | 17.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 38 Argentina 17.5% compare
- 39 Turkey 17.4% compare
- 40 South Africa 17.4% compare
- 42 South Korea 17.3% compare
- 43 Philippines 17.2% compare
- 44 Italy 17.2% compare
More energy & mining data for United States
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 1.94 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 7.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is electricity as a share of primary energy in United States?
- Electricity as a share of primary energy in United States was 17.3% in 2025, according to Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest electricity as a share of primary energy recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 17.3% in 2025.
- What is the lowest electricity as a share of primary energy recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.4% in 1987.
- How does United States rank for electricity as a share of primary energy?
- United States ranks 41st out of 79 countries with data for 2025.
- Is electricity as a share of primary energy rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Electricity as a share of primary energy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Measured as a percentage of total energy supply.