Trystan Casey
ElectricityMap is a live, open-source visualisation of where your electricity comes from and how much CO2 was emitted to produce it. The map is based on real-time information and includes flood hazard information from FEMA as well as energy infrastructure layers. The US electricity system has been changing rapidly over the past decade, reflecting federal policy, technologies, geographies, markets, and state mandates. The average US coal plant is 40 years old and runs half the time, with coal and gas still supplying most of the country's electricity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Map Name | Electricity Map |
| Map Type | Open-source project |
| Map Data Sources | Volunteer contributors |
| Map Coverage | United States, Australia, Canada, Great Britain |
| Map Features | Live visualization of where electricity comes from and how much CO2 was emitted to produce it |
| Map Base | Real-time data dependent on each province/state |
| Map Exclusions | Small-scale projects below 1MW, sites without location data |
| Map Indicators | Flood hazard information, energy infrastructure, natural gas deliveries, coalbed methane, crude oil and natural gas liquids reserves, residential natural gas prices, shale gas, concentrating solar resources, photovoltaic resources, wind resources |
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What You'll Learn
Electricity sources and CO2 emissions
Electricity generation is a major contributor to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. About 40% of energy-related CO2 emissions are due to burning fossil fuels for electricity generation. Worldwide, emissions of CO2 from burning fossil fuels total about 34 billion tonnes per year, with coal, oil, and gas contributing about 45%, 35%, and 20% respectively. In 2022, the US electric power industry accounted for about 33% of total US energy-related CO2 emissions, while the electric power sector accounted for about 31%. In 2023, utility-scale electric power plants burning coal, natural gas, or petroleum were the source of about 60% of the US's total annual utility-scale electricity net generation, but they accounted for 99% of the associated CO2 emissions.
The US electricity system has been changing rapidly over the past decade, reflecting federal policy, technologies, geographies, markets, and state mandates. While coal, along with an expanding gas fleet, still supplies most of the country's electricity, thousands of old coal and oil units have retired, and wind and solar technologies have come of age, with thousands of sites springing up across the country. The lion's share of planned new power capacity in the US comes from gas, with 63% of 114GW in planned utility-scale capacity being gas, followed by 20% wind and 10% solar.
Nuclear power is a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels, with nuclear fission producing no CO2. On a life-cycle basis, nuclear power emits just a few grams of CO2 equivalent per kWh of electricity produced, with estimates ranging from a median of 12g CO2 equivalent/kWh to a range of 5.1-6.4 g CO2 equivalent per kWh. This is similar to wind and lower than all types of solar.
To reduce emissions sufficiently, all energy sectors will need to be decarbonized. However, much of the immediate focus is on the electricity sector because it is the most readily decarbonized, as it provides the means to use non-fossil low-carbon energy. There are proposals for capturing the CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels in large plants and injecting them underground, a process known as carbon capture and storage (CCS). While the geological disposal of CO2 has been demonstrated, capturing CO2 from power stations is difficult and expensive.
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US electricity generation by state
The US generated 4,231 TWh of electricity in 2022, with Texas producing the most at 526 TWh, accounting for 12.6% of the country's energy production. Natural gas was the largest source of electricity in the US and for 25 states. Wind power was the largest renewable source for 20 states, with Iowa (57.5%) being the only state to get most of its electricity from wind power.
In recent years, natural gas has been the top source of power in many states, including Alaska, Arizona, and Connecticut. Arizona makes more electricity than it uses and exports power to nearby states. Coal was the largest source of electricity generation in Arkansas and Colorado for much of the past two decades, but its use has diminished over time as natural gas power has expanded.
California has often led the way in clean power, with state policies encouraging the adoption of clean power technologies like solar panels and giant grid batteries. In 2018, the state set a goal for utilities to get all of their electricity from zero-carbon sources by 2045. Similarly, Colorado aims to get 100% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2040, with its largest utility, Xcel Energy, planning to phase out coal-burning power plants by 2030.
Some states have unique electricity sources. For example, hydro power is the biggest source of electricity in Washington, generating 66.1% of its power. Petroleum accounts for almost 70% of Hawaii's energy generation. Alaska has its own electric grid and many rural communities use diesel generators for power, although community-based wind turbines are becoming more common.
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US electricity generation by energy source
The United States has the world's second-largest electricity sector, generating 4,178 Terawatt-hours of electricity in 2023. The three major categories of energy sources for electricity generation in the US are fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and petroleum), nuclear energy, and renewable energy. The US electricity system has been changing rapidly over the past decade, reflecting federal policy, technologies, geographies, markets, and state mandates.
The three major synchronous electrical grids in the continental US are the Eastern Interconnection, the Western Interconnection, and the Texas Interconnection. Within these grids are Independent System Operators and Regional Transmission Organizations, which are not-for-profit organizations that operate a section of the grid and are required to provide indiscriminate access to various suppliers to promote competition. Some areas have vertically integrated utilities, such as Southern Company, where all operations are handled by a single company.
The US has 104 commercial nuclear reactors, which, as of 2007, generated approximately 20% of the country's total electric energy consumption. Since 2005, there has been a renewed interest in nuclear power, with the federal government receiving applications to construct 26 new nuclear power reactors by 2009. However, most of these applications were abandoned by 2013 due to the low cost of electricity generated by natural gas, which was made available at cheaper prices due to the boom in hydraulic fracturing.
Renewable energy sources are also becoming more prominent in the US. Solar photovoltaic and solar thermal power plants provided about 4% of total US utility-scale electricity and 18% of utility-scale electricity generation from renewable sources in 2023. Nearly all solar electric generation was from photovoltaic systems (PV), which produce electricity directly from sunlight using a photovoltaic cell. Biomass, which is burned directly in steam-electric power plants or converted into gas for use in steam generators or gas turbines, accounted for about 1% of total US utility-scale electricity generation and 5% of utility-scale electricity generation from renewable sources in 2023. Geothermal power plants, which use steam turbines to generate electricity, produced less than 1% of total US utility-scale electricity generation and about 2% of utility-scale electricity generation from renewable sources in the same year.
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US electricity generation by region
The United States has the world's second-largest electricity sector, with 4,178 Terawatt-hours of generation in 2023. The US uses a variety of energy sources and technologies to generate electricity, with the three major categories being fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and petroleum), nuclear energy, and renewable energy. The specific sources of electricity vary by region and state.
In 2023, natural gas was the top source of US utility-scale electricity generation, at about 43%. Natural gas is used in steam turbines and gas turbines to generate electricity. Coal was the fourth-highest energy source, at about 16% of US electricity generation in 2023. Coal-fired power has declined in some states, such as Massachusetts, Mississippi, and Wisconsin, due to the increasing use of natural gas and the efforts to reduce environmental impact. However, in states like Missouri and Montana, coal has been the dominant source of electricity generation for decades, although its share is decreasing.
Texas produces the greatest share of electricity in the country, accounting for 12.6% of US energy production. States along Tornado Alley, including Texas, are leaders in wind power generation. In January 2024, wind power accounted for 10.9% of US electricity. Additionally, solar power has been growing in several states, such as Minnesota, Mississippi, and Wisconsin, where it is increasingly used alongside other carbon-free sources to meet goals for carbon-free electricity.
Nuclear power is also a significant source of electricity in the US, although its share varies by state. In January 2024, nuclear energy made up 17.9% of all electricity in the country. While nuclear power has a smaller carbon footprint than coal, oil, or natural gas, it faces challenges due to the difficulty of disposing of spent fuel. Some states, like Maryland, Missouri, and Wisconsin, typically consume more electricity than they generate and rely on importing power from other states through regional grids.
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US electricity generation over time
The United States uses a variety of energy sources and technologies to generate electricity, and these have changed over time. The three major categories of energy for electricity generation are fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and petroleum), nuclear energy, and renewable energy.
The US electricity system has been changing rapidly over the past decade. This reflects federal policy, technologies, geographies, markets, and state mandates. The average US coal plant is 40 years old, with some 15% being at least 50 years old, against an average retirement age of 52. In the last decade, thousands of old coal and oil units have retired, and wind and solar technologies have taken their place. However, coal, along with an expanding gas fleet, still supplies most of the country’s electricity.
Nuclear energy slowly started contributing to the electricity mix in 1957 with the Shippingport Atomic Power Station in Pennsylvania. By 2020, nuclear power accounted for nearly 20% of total electricity generation.
Solar and wind power started contributing to the mix in 1983-84, with wind accelerating faster than solar power to account for 1% of total electricity generated by 2008 and 9% by 2021. In 2023, solar photovoltaic and solar thermal power plants provided about 4% of total US utility-scale electricity and accounted for 18% of utility-scale electricity generation from renewable sources. In the same year, nearly all solar electric generation was from photovoltaic systems (PV). Biomass was the source of about 1% of total US utility-scale electricity generation and accounted for 5% of renewable sources in 2023.
Electricity sourced from natural gas surpassed that from coal in 2016 and continues to absorb most of the decline in coal use. In 2023, natural gas was the top source of US utility-scale electricity generation, at about 43%. Coal was the fourth-highest energy source, at about 16%. Hydropower’s share in the electricity mix has remained stable since 2000, making up 5 to 6% of total electricity generated each year.
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Frequently asked questions
Electricity Map is an open-source, live visualization project that shows where your electricity comes from and how much CO2 was emitted to produce it.
Electricity Map is made possible by volunteer contributors who add data sources for new areas, add new features, or fix bugs. The data is based on real-time information, which is dependent on each province.
The data sources for Electricity Map include the EIA (U.S. Energy Information Administration) and IESO (Independent Electricity System Operator) for Ontario, Canada.
Electricity Map provides information on energy generation and consumption, flood hazard information, energy infrastructure, natural gas deliveries, coalbed methane, crude oil and natural gas liquids reserves, residential natural gas prices, shale gas, concentrating solar resources, photovoltaic resources, and wind resources.
