The United States consumed 96 quadrillion British thermal units of energy in 2025, a figure that charts both how far the nation’s energy system has come and how dependent it remains on fossil fuels, according to a new historical analysis published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The agency’s Today in Energy brief traces American energy use from wood-fired hearths in 1776 all the way to the diversified but still hydrocarbon-heavy mix of 2025.
96 quads in 2025, but still below the 2007 peak
Total energy used in the United States in 2025 was 96 quadrillion British thermal units (quads), up 2% from 2024, but below 2007’s record 99 quads.
Petroleum was the most-used energy source last year, followed closely by natural gas. Renewable energy, coal, and nuclear each made up about 9% of total energy use.
Despite decades of growth in cleaner alternatives, fossil fuels still accounted for the vast majority of energy consumed in the United States, at 82% of the total.
Petroleum’s share of total U.S. energy consumption in 2025 was about 38%, or 35.9 quads. Natural gas consumption stood at about 36% of total U.S. primary energy consumption, or 34.6 quads.
Renewable energy production and consumption both reached record highs in 2025, with consumption at about 9%, or 8.8 quads, of total primary energy.
From firewood to fracking: 250 years of energy transitions
When the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, wood was the main source of energy for heating, cooking, and lighting. Wood remained the largest U.S. energy source until the late 1800s, when coal consumption became more common. Petroleum has been the most-consumed source of energy in the United States since 1950.
In the 2000s, natural gas produced from shale formations became more widely available and cheaper because of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. Between 2011 and 2020, more than 100 coal-fired power plants were replaced with or converted to natural gas.
In 2025, natural gas generated more electricity than any other individual energy source and was the most common home heating source in the United States.
Nuclear power added another layer to the mix. In 1957, following the discoveries made during the Manhattan Project, the first full-scale commercial U.S. nuclear power plant came online in Pennsylvania. The U.S. nuclear fleet peaked at 112 operable units, with 94 operating in 2025.
Renewables gaining ground, with milestones in back-to-back years
In 2022, U.S. energy consumption from renewable sources surpassed nuclear energy for the first time since 1984, and in 2023, renewables surpassed coal for the first time since around the early 1880s.
Wind and solar together accounted for more energy than hydropower in 2025. These increases have been primarily driven by large gains in solar and wind energy production.
Coal’s share of total U.S. energy consumption declined from about 37% in 1950 to 9% in 2025, largely because the electric power sector shifted to other sources in its place.
The record petroleum exports reported separately by the EIA this year underscore how the United States has evolved into a major global energy supplier even as the domestic mix continues to shift.
New demand drivers pushing consumption upward
Total U.S. energy use increased in part because of more electricity used to power data centers and manufacturing establishments. According to the EIA, U.S. electricity demand is expected to see its strongest four-year growth period since 2000, driven mostly by data centers.
Demand from electric vehicles is also rising. According to the EIA brief, U.S. light-duty EV electricity consumption reached approximately 24 billion kilowatthours in 2025, nearly 15 times more than in 2018.
In 2025, U.S. petroleum use remained below pre-pandemic levels. That gap, combined with the surge in electricity-intensive technologies, points to a structural shift in how and where Americans consume energy, even as the overall share from fossil fuels holds firm.
The EIA’s data confirm that the nation’s record crude oil output in 2025 is occurring alongside, not instead of, a gradual broadening of the energy supply toward renewables and other non-fossil sources.
