Electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal in United States
United States: Electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal was 853.21 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal in United States, 1983–2025
Source: Ember (2026); Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Pinto et al. (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
United States recorded 853.21 terawatt-hours for electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal in 2025. That is the highest value across all 43 years on record.
The figure is up 12.9% on the previous year and up 271.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal in United States peaked at 853.21 terawatt-hours in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0057 terawatt-hours, in 1983.
United States ranks 2nd of 212 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal in United States, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 0.0057 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1984 | 0.0119 terawatt-hours | +108.2% |
| 1985 | 0.0166 terawatt-hours | +39.6% |
| 1986 | 0.0184 terawatt-hours | +11.2% |
| 1987 | 0.0142 terawatt-hours | -23.0% |
| 1988 | 0.0101 terawatt-hours | -29.0% |
| 1989 | 2.39 terawatt-hours | +23609.3% |
| 1990 | 3.19 terawatt-hours | +33.6% |
| 1991 | 3.46 terawatt-hours | +8.5% |
| 1992 | 3.33 terawatt-hours | -3.9% |
| 1993 | 3.51 terawatt-hours | +5.6% |
| 1994 | 3.98 terawatt-hours | +13.5% |
| 1995 | 3.71 terawatt-hours | -6.9% |
| 1996 | 3.81 terawatt-hours | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 3.85 terawatt-hours | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 3.58 terawatt-hours | -7.1% |
| 1999 | 5.05 terawatt-hours | +41.1% |
| 2000 | 6.08 terawatt-hours | +20.4% |
| 2001 | 7.28 terawatt-hours | +19.7% |
| 2002 | 10.9 terawatt-hours | +49.7% |
| 2003 | 11.72 terawatt-hours | +7.5% |
| 2004 | 14.72 terawatt-hours | +25.6% |
| 2005 | 18.36 terawatt-hours | +24.7% |
| 2006 | 27.1 terawatt-hours | +47.6% |
| 2007 | 35.06 terawatt-hours | +29.4% |
| 2008 | 56.22 terawatt-hours | +60.4% |
| 2009 | 74.78 terawatt-hours | +33.0% |
| 2010 | 95.86 terawatt-hours | +28.2% |
| 2011 | 122 terawatt-hours | +27.3% |
| 2012 | 145.15 terawatt-hours | +19.0% |
| 2013 | 176.88 terawatt-hours | +21.9% |
| 2014 | 210.57 terawatt-hours | +19.0% |
| 2015 | 229.75 terawatt-hours | +9.1% |
| 2016 | 281.86 terawatt-hours | +22.7% |
| 2017 | 331.58 terawatt-hours | +17.6% |
| 2018 | 366.03 terawatt-hours | +10.4% |
| 2019 | 402.77 terawatt-hours | +10.0% |
| 2020 | 468.66 terawatt-hours | +16.4% |
| 2021 | 542.62 terawatt-hours | +15.8% |
| 2022 | 639.37 terawatt-hours | +17.8% |
| 2023 | 660.08 terawatt-hours | +3.2% |
| 2024 | 755.65 terawatt-hours | +14.5% |
| 2025 | 853.21 terawatt-hours | +12.9% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 853.21 terawatt-hours is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.15 terawatt-hours, 396.8× the median. (75 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal in United States changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | +23609.3% | 0.0101 terawatt-hours | 2.39 terawatt-hours |
| 1984 | +108.2% | 0.0057 terawatt-hours | 0.0119 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.3519 terawatt-hours | 0.0057 terawatt-hours | 2.39 terawatt-hours | 7 |
| 1990s | 3.75 terawatt-hours | 3.19 terawatt-hours | 5.05 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.22 terawatt-hours | 6.08 terawatt-hours | 74.78 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 236.24 terawatt-hours | 95.86 terawatt-hours | 402.77 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 653.26 terawatt-hours | 468.66 terawatt-hours | 853.21 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
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 generation from solar and wind compared to coal in United States?
- Electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal in United States was 853.21 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Ember (2026); Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Pinto et al. (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 853.21 terawatt-hours in 2025.
- What is the lowest electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0057 terawatt-hours in 1983.
- How does United States rank for electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal?
- United States ranks 2nd out of 212 countries with data for 2025.
- Is electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 271.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Ember (2026); Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Pinto et al. (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Electricity generation from solar and wind compared to coal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 43 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours.