Fossil Fuels Continue to Dominate U.S. Energy Production and Consumption Despite Growth in Renewables: EIA

Fossil fuels continue to account for the largest share of energy consumption in the United States. Last year, about 79 percent of domestic energy production was from fossil fuels, and 80 percent of domestic energy consumption originated from fossil fuels, according to the Energy Information Administration.

The share of U.S. total energy production from fossil fuels peaked in 1966 at 93 percent. Total fossil fuel production has continued to rise, but so have non-fossil fuel sources, mainly renewables like wind and solar energy. As a result, fossil fuels have accounted for close to 80 percent of U.S. energy production over the past decade, according to the agency. Since 2008, production of crude oil, dry natural gas, and natural gas plant liquids has increased by 12 quadrillion British thermal units (quads), 11 quads, and 3 quads, respectively. These increases have more than offset decreasing coal production, which has fallen 9 quads since its peak in 2008.

In 2018, net energy imports reached their lowest level since 1963, thanks largely to the recent boom in domestic production ushered by the shale revolution. U.S. net energy imports as a share of consumption peaked in 2005 when it reached 30 percent; in 2018, energy net imports fell to only 4 percent of consumption.