Manya Rathore
Research expert covering India
Renewable energy in the U.S. - statistics & facts
The United States is one of the countries with the highest consumption of renewable energy worldwide, ranking second after China and accounting for some 14 percent of the global renewable energy consumption. In total, the North American country consumed roughly 8.6 quadrillion British thermal units of renewables in 2024. Overall, the share of electricity generated from renewable energy sources in the U.S. has presented an increasing trend over the last few years, reaching a share of 24 percent in 2024.
Under recent projections, the majority of the United States' utility-scale power capacity additions are expected to be from renewable sources, with solar being the largest contributor. As the cost of clean energy technology continues to fall, it is expected that renewables will continue to displace traditional energy sources. Nevertheless, the current Trump administration has taken significant steps to slow down energy transition efforts in the United States, bringing a landscape of uncertainty to the sector.
Wind energy remains the leading renewable energy source in the U.S.
Cumulative wind power capacity in the United States reached roughly 154 gigawatts in 2024, increasing by some four gigawatts from the previous year. This marks the lowest figure in new wind energy installations since 2013, when roughly 1.1 gigawatts of wind power were added. Furthermore, major federal interventions, such as halts on new leasing and permitting for renewable energy projects in federal lands, are hindering the expansion of renewable energy sources, particularly wind. Nevertheless, with over 450 terawatt hours of power generation in 2024, wind energy remains the leading source of renewable electricity across the country.Solar energy: fastest-growing renewable technology
In comparison, solar power generation totaled around 218 terawatt hours in 2024. Solar energy sources tend to be concentrated in the western part of the country, although in the last years, the technology has been growing in popularity and it is being widely adopted. Currently, solar energy is the fastest-growing renewable energy source, accounting for the largest share of new power capacity additions in the United States. The low cost of solar photovoltaics, along with its ease of deployment, are resulting in the rapid adoption of the technology. On the other hand, hydroelectric conventional power has long been one of the most important renewable energy sources in the United States, although growth has been minimal during the last years.U.S. renewable energy outlook
In 2024, a total of 8.6 quadrillion British thermal units of primary renewable energy were consumed in the United States. Although the current Trump Administration is slowing down renewable energy deployment in the country, consumption of renewable sources is forecast to increase in the longer term. In the following decades, the U.S. is projected to increase its energy consumption from renewable sources, reaching approximately 19.4 quadrillion British thermal units in 2050.
