Share of electricity generation from fossil fuels in United States
United States: Share of electricity generation from fossil fuels was 57.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of electricity generation from fossil fuels in United States, 1985–2025
Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of electricity generation from fossil fuels in United States stood at 57.0%. That is the lowest value across all 41 years on record.
The figure is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 14.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of electricity generation from fossil fuels in United States peaked at 72.6% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 57.0%, in 2025.
That places United States 118th out of 210 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 41 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 71.8% | 71.2% | 72.6% | 5 |
| 1990s | 70.0% | 68.9% | 71.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 71.2% | 69.2% | 72.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 66.2% | 62.2% | 70.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 59.1% | 57.0% | 60.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 115 Argentina 58.4% compare
- 116 China (People’s Republic of) 58.3% compare
- 117 Madagascar, Republic of 57.6% compare
- 119 Türkiye 56.7% compare
- 120 Bosnia and Herzegovina 56.4% compare
- 121 Samoa 56.2% compare
More energy & mining data for United States
- Fuel imports 7.5% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 2.1% (2024)
- Ores and metals exports 2.9% (2024)
- Gas production 10,737 terawatt-hours (2025)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 30,919 kilowatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 10,737 terawatt-hours (2025)
- Gas production per person 30,919 kilowatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gas production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of electricity generation from fossil fuels in United States?
- Share of electricity generation from fossil fuels in United States was 57.0% in 2025, according to Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of electricity generation from fossil fuels recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 72.6% in 1985.
- What is the lowest share of electricity generation from fossil fuels recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 57.0% in 2025.
- How does United States rank for share of electricity generation from fossil fuels?
- United States ranks 118th out of 210 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of electricity generation from fossil fuels rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Share of electricity generation from fossil fuels. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 41 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Electricity generation from coal, oil, and gas, measured as a percentage of total electricity produced in the country or region.