Energy Profile - U.S.

"The Land of Opportunity"

(Pop.: 342 mi; GDP: US$ 30,8 tri; debt: 125% of GDP; tax burden: 27%; prim. energy use: 2,21 Mtoe; electricity use: 4,130 TWh; inst. capacity: 1,334 GW; self-sufficiency: 105%)

Energy in the U.S. is drawn from a diverse portfolio dominated by fossil fuels, with natural gas (NG) holding a central role.  Most NG production growth stems from shale gas & tight oil plays, which have reshaped the U.S. energy profile since the onset of the Shale Revolution around 2007–2008.  Figure 1 shows U.S. primary energy consumption in 2023.

However, the outlook for new-build NG power generation in the U.S. has dimmed considerably in recent years, with a sharp downward trajectory expected through the 2023–2027 period.  Over the next five years, new-build NG capacity is scheduled to account for only 5% of all new power additions, down from 11% last year and 41% five years ago.

Clean energy dominated new U.S. power generation capacity additions in 2023.  Solar energy (the primary driver) alongside wind, battery storage, and nuclear accounted for 84% of all planned utility-scale capacity additions that year (Figure 2).  For a broader structural view, Figure 3 displays U.S. energy consumption by source and end-use sector using recent 2025 data.

The inherent variability of solar generation is accelerating the deployment of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to shift surplus power, driving the installation of several gigawatts of storage capacity. This expansion is concentrated primarily in California, Texas, and Arizona, with cumulative grid-scale capacity reaching 13.07 GW, 14.17 GW, and 3.85 GW, respectively [S&P, 2025].  Notably, BESS deployment is heavily clustered in the U.S. Southwest due to high solar penetration, market price volatility, mature wholesale power markets, and regulatory frameworks that reward grid flexibility.