Key Findings
• The overall U.S. energy consumption decreased to 97.7 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) in
2015—a 0.6% decline from 2014. Compared to 2014, energy consumption remained at similar levels
in 2015 for renewables (+0.1%) and nuclear (+0.0%), while consumption from natural gas (+3.0%) and
petroleum (+1.4%) increased. Consumption from coal continued to decline, dropping by 13.5%.
• U.S. electric power sector energy consumption decreased to 38.1 quadrillion Btu in 2015, a 1.3%
decline from 2014.1
• In 2015, U.S. renewable electricity2 grew to 16.7% of total installed capacity and 13.8% of
total electricity generation. Installed renewable electricity capacity exceeded 194 gigawatts (GW) in
2015, generating 567 terawatt-hours (TWh).
• The combined share of wind and solar as a percentage of total renewable generation continues
to grow in the United States. U.S. hydropower produced more than 44% of total renewable
electricity generation, wind produced 34%, biomass produced 11%, solar (photovoltaic [PV] and
concentrating solar power [CSP])3 produced 8%, and geothermal produced 3%.
• In 2015, renewable electricity accounted for 64% of U.S. electricity capacity additions,
compared to 52% in 2014. Approximately 15 GW of coal-fired generation retired in 2015, the
highest in a single year to date.4
• In 2015, wind electricity installed capacity increased by more than 12% (8.1 GW),
accounting for more than 56% of U.S. renewable electricity capacity installed in 2015.
U.S. wind generation increased by 5.1% compared to 2014.
• U.S. solar electricity installed capacity increased by 36% (5.6 GWac), accounting
for nearly 40% of newly installed U.S. renewable electricity capacity in 2015.1 Solar
generation also increased by 36% (11.7 TWh).
• U.S. electricity capacities of biomass, geothermal, and hydropower remained relatively
stable from 2000 to 2015.
• Installed global renewable electricity capacity continued to increase, and it
represented 29.5% of total electricity capacity worldwide in 2015.2
• Worldwide, solar PV continued to be one of the fastest-growing renewable electricity
technologies—in 2015, global capacity increased by 28%, the same rate as in 2014.
• Globally, new investments in clean energy in 2015 grew by more than 4% from 2014 to
$329 billion.
• The overall U.S. energy consumption decreased to 97.7 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) in
2015—a 0.6% decline from 2014. Compared to 2014, energy consumption remained at similar levels
in 2015 for renewables (+0.1%) and nuclear (+0.0%), while consumption from natural gas (+3.0%) and
petroleum (+1.4%) increased. Consumption from coal continued to decline, dropping by 13.5%.
• U.S. electric power sector energy consumption decreased to 38.1 quadrillion Btu in 2015, a 1.3%
decline from 2014.1
• In 2015, U.S. renewable electricity2 grew to 16.7% of total installed capacity and 13.8% of
total electricity generation. Installed renewable electricity capacity exceeded 194 gigawatts (GW) in
2015, generating 567 terawatt-hours (TWh).
• The combined share of wind and solar as a percentage of total renewable generation continues
to grow in the United States. U.S. hydropower produced more than 44% of total renewable
electricity generation, wind produced 34%, biomass produced 11%, solar (photovoltaic [PV] and
concentrating solar power [CSP])3 produced 8%, and geothermal produced 3%.
• In 2015, renewable electricity accounted for 64% of U.S. electricity capacity additions,
compared to 52% in 2014. Approximately 15 GW of coal-fired generation retired in 2015, the
highest in a single year to date.4
• In 2015, wind electricity installed capacity increased by more than 12% (8.1 GW),
accounting for more than 56% of U.S. renewable electricity capacity installed in 2015.
U.S. wind generation increased by 5.1% compared to 2014.
• U.S. solar electricity installed capacity increased by 36% (5.6 GWac), accounting
for nearly 40% of newly installed U.S. renewable electricity capacity in 2015.1 Solar
generation also increased by 36% (11.7 TWh).
• U.S. electricity capacities of biomass, geothermal, and hydropower remained relatively
stable from 2000 to 2015.
• Installed global renewable electricity capacity continued to increase, and it
represented 29.5% of total electricity capacity worldwide in 2015.2
• Worldwide, solar PV continued to be one of the fastest-growing renewable electricity
technologies—in 2015, global capacity increased by 28%, the same rate as in 2014.
• Globally, new investments in clean energy in 2015 grew by more than 4% from 2014 to
$329 billion.
