Five Facts on America's Energy Security
Millions of Americans have their air conditioners on full blast this summer as record-high heat blankets much of the country. At the same time, global carbon emissions continue to rise, fueling more climate change-related weather disasters. With record high energy demands butting up against the realities of a changing climate, how is America keeping the lights on?
Here are Five Facts on America’s energy security.
1. America’s top source of energy is natural gas.
Natural gas is the leading source of energy in the United States, accounting for 31.8% of the energy produced in the U.S. in 2017, according to the American Geosciences Institute. Natural gas, which is thought to produce fewer carbon emissions than traditional fossil fuels like coal and petroleum, also has the benefit of being in abundant supply here in the US. Large gas deposits in Texas, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere help keep prices more stable and promote greater energy security for households.
2. Over the last few decades, coal and oil use has decreased while wind and solar use has increased.
While fossil fuels collectively still account for roughly 79% of the nation’s energy supply, coal consumption peaked back in 2007 and has fallen by more than half as of 2022. Likewise, petroleum consumption in the US peaked in 2005 and has fallen by about 5% since. On the other hand, the use of renewable wind and solar energy has been on an upward trend. US wind energy produced 434 terawatt-hours of energy in 2022 – more than 40 times as much as was produced in 2002. Solar energy production saw a 260-fold increase over that same time period.
3. America receives a significant portion of energy from nuclear.
America is the world’s largest nuclear power producer and nuclear provides roughly one-fifth of our electricity annually. At the same time, the total capacity for nuclear power has remained effectively unchanged for more than three decades, as almost no new reactors have been built. While past nuclear reactor incidents have helped stoke fears among some, nuclear is in fact one of the safest and cleanest energy sources known. A No Labels December 2022 poll showed that 59% of Americans approve of a national investment program to expand nuclear power.
4. Per capita carbon emissions in the US have declined by more than 25% since 2000.
While the US remains one of the world’s largest emitters of carbon, America’s per capita carbon emissions peaked in 2000 at 20.47 metric tons per person and have trended downwards ever since, hitting a low of 14.67 metric tons per person in 2019. Overall carbon emissions dropped by 17% in that time as well. Meanwhile, since 2000, China’s share of overall global emissions has nearly doubled, totaling 27% as of 2021. America’s reduction in carbon emissions is largely due to a shift in the energy mix towards cleaner sources including natural gas and renewables, improvements in energy efficiency, and regulatory measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
5. US investments in low-carbon energy totaled $141 billion in 2022.
A February report by BloombergNEF found that globally, more than $1.1 trillion was invested last year to speed up the transition to low-carbon energy – a 31% increase over 2021. While the US saw a significant investment in clean energy, including nearly $50 billion invested in renewables, it was far outpaced by China, which attracted $546 billion in low-carbon investments.
No Labels is an organization of Democrats, Republicans, and independents working to bring American leaders together to solve problems.
