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The United States operates the worldΒ’s largest nuclear power plant fleet

In 2024, U.S. utilities operated 94 nuclear reactors with a total net generating capacity of nearly 97 gigawatts (GW), the largest commercial nuclear power generation fleet in the world. The next three countries with the largest programs were France with 57 units (63.0 GW), China with 57 units (55.3 GW), and Russia with 36 units (28.6 GW). Nuclear power continues to account for 19% of U.S. power sector electricity generation.

Distillate and jet fuel contribute to record U.S. petroleum product exports in 2024

In 2024, U.S. exports of total petroleum products increased to a record 6.6 million barrels per day (b/d) annual average. Annual U.S. petroleum product exports increased by 495,000 b/d as U.S. exports of distillate fuel oil, typically sold as diesel, and jet fuel increased compared with 2023, while exports of total motor gasoline decreased. Imports of major petroleum products, including gasoline, distillate fuel oil, and jet fuel, decreased by 210,000 b/d in 2024 compared with 2023.

China's solar capacity installations grew rapidly in 2024

Utility-scale solar power capacity in China reached more than 880 gigawatts (GW) in 2024, according to China's National Energy Administration. China has more utility-scale solar than any other country. The 277 GW of utility-scale solar capacity installed in China in 2024 alone is more than twice as much as the 121 GW of utility-scale solar capacity installed in the United States at the end of 2024.

U.S. natural gas production remained flat in 2024

U.S. marketed natural gas production remained relatively flat in 2024, growing by less than 0.4 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) compared with 2023 to average 113 Bcf/d, according to our latest Natural Gas Monthly. Production growth in the Permian was offset by declining production in the Haynesville and relatively flat production in Appalachia.

U.S. energy consumption growth decreases in the near term in the latest AEO

U.S. energy consumption decreases in the next several years before increasing again in the early 2040s through 2050, according to our recently published Annual Energy Outlook 2025 (AEO2025). U.S. energy consumption in 2050 is lower than in 2024 in most of the scenarios we explore in AEO2025, but the range of outcomes varies significantly based on the underlying assumptions.

Eagle Ford natural gas production increases as crude oil production holds steady

In our April Short-Term Energy Outlook, we forecast U.S. annual natural gas production from the Eagle Ford region in southwest Texas will grow from 6.8 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2024 to 7.0 Bcf/d in 2026. The increase in natural gas production comes as natural gas prices rise and demand for liquefied natural gas exports grows. Oil production in the Eagle Ford, on the other hand, has hovered around 1.1 million barrels per day (b/d) since 2020, and we forecast it will remain about the same through 2026.

U.S. crude oil exports reached a new record in 2024

U.S. crude oil exports in 2024 surpassed the previous record set in 2023, exceeding an annual average of 4.1 million barrels per day (b/d). Despite this new record, crude oil export year-over-year growth slowed to 1% in 2024, compared with 14% in 2023 and 21% in 2022.

U.S. production of all types of coal has declined over the past two decades

In 2023, the United States produced 578 million short tons (MMst) of coal, or less than half of the amount produced in 2008 when U.S. coal production peaked, according to our most recent Annual Coal Report. The production decline is spread almost evenly across each type of coal and continued in 2024. Rising mining costs, increasingly stringent environmental regulations, and competition from other sources of electric power generation have contributed to domestic coal production declines.

How will the start-up timing of the new U.S. LNG export facilities affect our forecast?

U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) represent the largest source of natural gas demand growth in our March 2025 Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), with LNG gross exports expected to increase by 19% to 14.2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2025 and by 15% to 16.4 Bcf/d in 2026. The start-up timing of two new LNG export facilitiesβ€”Plaquemines LNG Phase 2 (consisting of 18 midscale trains) and Golden Pass LNGβ€”could significantly affect our forecast because these facilities represent 19% of incremental U.S. LNG export capacity in 2025–26.

U.S. uranium production in 2024 was highest in six years

Companies in the United States produced more uranium concentrate in 2024 than in any year since 2018 after a sustained period of higher uranium prices spurred production, according to our recently published Domestic Uranium Production Reportβ€”Quarterly. The increase largely came from two in-situ recovery facilities, one in Texas and one in Wyoming, and the resumption of uranium production at White Mesa Mill in Utah, the only operational uranium mill in the United States. Production in the fourth quarter of 2024 alone was higher than the total annual production for each of the years in 2019–23.

U.S. natural gas consumption set new winter and summer monthly records in 2024

In 2024, U.S. natural gas consumption averaged a record 90.3 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) and set new winter and summer monthly records in January and July, according to data in our Natural Gas Monthly. Overall, U.S. consumption last year increased 1% (0.9 Bcf/d) from 2023. In January, natural gas consumption was up 12% (12.5 Bcf/d) compared with January 2023 consumption, and in July, consumption increased by 3% (2.5 Bcf/d) compared with July 2023.

The United States remained the world's largest liquefied natural gas exporter in 2024

The United States exported 11.9 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2024, remaining the world's largest LNG exporter. LNG exports from Australia and Qatarβ€”the world's two next-largest LNG exportersβ€”have remained relatively stable over the last five years (2020–24); their exports have ranged from 10.2 Bcf/d to 10.7 Bcf/d annually, according to data from Cedigaz. Russia and Malaysia have been the fourth- and fifth-largest LNG exporters globally since 2019. In 2024, LNG exports from Russia averaged 4.4 Bcf/d, and exports from Malaysia averaged 3.7 Bcf/d.

U.S. biodiesel use increases outside of the transportation sector

A small but increasing amount of biodiesel in the United States is consumed in the residential, commercial, and electric power sectors, according to new estimates now published in our State Energy Data System. Previously, we allocated all U.S. biodiesel consumption to the transportation sector, where the vast majority of biodiesel is consumed.

U.S. manufacturing energy consumption has continued to increase since 2010 low

U.S. manufacturing energy consumption has continued to increase, according to our recently released survey results for 2022. We conduct the Manufacturing Energy Consumption Surveys (MECS) every four years, and the latest iteration shows the third consecutive increase in energy consumed in the manufacturing sector since a low point in 2010. Natural gas consumption in the manufacturing sector increased by more than all other energy sources combined, as compared with the previous MECS results from 2018.
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