Renewable electricity generation by source in United States
United States: Renewable electricity generation by source was 464.39 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Renewable electricity generation by source 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 464.39 terawatt-hours for renewable electricity generation by source in 2025. That is the highest value across all 43 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.8% on the previous year and up 143.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, renewable electricity generation by source in United States peaked at 464.39 terawatt-hours in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0009 terawatt-hours, in 1988.
That places United States 2nd out of 212 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Renewable electricity generation by source in United States, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 0.0027 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1984 | 0.0066 terawatt-hours | +143.3% |
| 1985 | 0.0058 terawatt-hours | -11.2% |
| 1986 | 0.0042 terawatt-hours | -27.3% |
| 1987 | 0.0036 terawatt-hours | -15.5% |
| 1988 | 0.0009 terawatt-hours | -75.4% |
| 1989 | 2.13 terawatt-hours | +242385.2% |
| 1990 | 2.82 terawatt-hours | +32.0% |
| 1991 | 2.98 terawatt-hours | +5.8% |
| 1992 | 2.92 terawatt-hours | -2.1% |
| 1993 | 3.04 terawatt-hours | +4.1% |
| 1994 | 3.48 terawatt-hours | +14.7% |
| 1995 | 3.2 terawatt-hours | -8.2% |
| 1996 | 3.27 terawatt-hours | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 3.32 terawatt-hours | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 3.06 terawatt-hours | -8.0% |
| 1999 | 4.53 terawatt-hours | +48.3% |
| 2000 | 5.59 terawatt-hours | +23.3% |
| 2001 | 6.74 terawatt-hours | +20.6% |
| 2002 | 10.35 terawatt-hours | +53.6% |
| 2003 | 11.19 terawatt-hours | +8.1% |
| 2004 | 14.14 terawatt-hours | +26.4% |
| 2005 | 17.81 terawatt-hours | +26.0% |
| 2006 | 26.59 terawatt-hours | +49.3% |
| 2007 | 34.45 terawatt-hours | +29.6% |
| 2008 | 55.36 terawatt-hours | +60.7% |
| 2009 | 73.89 terawatt-hours | +33.5% |
| 2010 | 94.65 terawatt-hours | +28.1% |
| 2011 | 120.18 terawatt-hours | +27.0% |
| 2012 | 140.82 terawatt-hours | +17.2% |
| 2013 | 167.84 terawatt-hours | +19.2% |
| 2014 | 181.65 terawatt-hours | +8.2% |
| 2015 | 190.72 terawatt-hours | +5.0% |
| 2016 | 226.99 terawatt-hours | +19.0% |
| 2017 | 254.3 terawatt-hours | +12.0% |
| 2018 | 272.67 terawatt-hours | +7.2% |
| 2019 | 295.88 terawatt-hours | +8.5% |
| 2020 | 337.94 terawatt-hours | +14.2% |
| 2021 | 378.2 terawatt-hours | +11.9% |
| 2022 | 434.3 terawatt-hours | +14.8% |
| 2023 | 421.14 terawatt-hours | -3.0% |
| 2024 | 451.9 terawatt-hours | +7.3% |
| 2025 | 464.39 terawatt-hours | +2.8% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 464.39 terawatt-hours is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.46 terawatt-hours, 1009.5× the median. (75 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Renewable electricity generation by source 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 | +242385.2% | 0.0009 terawatt-hours | 2.13 terawatt-hours |
| 1984 | +143.3% | 0.0027 terawatt-hours | 0.0066 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.3082 terawatt-hours | 0.0009 terawatt-hours | 2.13 terawatt-hours | 7 |
| 1990s | 3.26 terawatt-hours | 2.82 terawatt-hours | 4.53 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.61 terawatt-hours | 5.59 terawatt-hours | 73.89 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 194.57 terawatt-hours | 94.65 terawatt-hours | 295.88 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 414.64 terawatt-hours | 337.94 terawatt-hours | 464.39 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 renewable electricity generation by source in United States?
- Renewable electricity generation by source in United States was 464.39 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 renewable electricity generation by source recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 464.39 terawatt-hours in 2025.
- What is the lowest renewable electricity generation by source recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0009 terawatt-hours in 1988.
- How does United States rank for renewable electricity generation by source?
- United States ranks 2nd out of 212 countries with data for 2025.
- Is renewable electricity generation by source rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 143.5%. 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 Renewable electricity generation by source. 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.