So if we do away with natural gas then what? Coal. Back to the days of coal dust and smoke
U.S. electricity generation by generating source
| Source | Percentage of total generation |
|---|
| Coal | 19.3% |
| Natural gas | 40.5% |
| Petroleum | 0.4% |
| Nuclear | 19.7% |
| Renewables | 18.2% |
| Other | 1.8% |
Showing 1 to 6 of 6 entries
In that 18.2% of national generation that comes from renewable energy, hydropower and wind energy lead the way with 7.1% and 8.4% of generation respectively. Here’s how the U.S. renewable electricity generation mix plays out:
U.S. renewable electricity generation by generating source
Where does your electricity come from?
The electric grid brings power to every corner of the U.S., but the electricity flowing through the wires doesn’t come from the same sources everywhere. Depending on where you live, the electricity that makes its way to your property comes from different mixes of generating capacity, from coal to natural gas to renewables like hydropower, solar, and wind.
Key takeaways
- Overall, the United States generates the most electricity with natural gas – 40.5% of all electricity produced, to be exact.
- Renewable energy is very close to being the second-largest producer of electricity in the country at 18.2% of total generation.
To keep the grid functioning requires a delicate balance between supply and demand, as well as a highly integrated series of components throughout the country. Grid operators, such as the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) and the Pennsylvania-Jersey-Maryland Regional Transmission Operator (PJM RTO), maintain this balance through a mix of market awareness and insights plus forecasts of weather, demand, and supply, with a goal of providing low-cost and reliable electricity service.
Where does your state’s electricity come from?
The total mix of electricity flowing through the power grid comes from thousands of individual generators, all connected and supplying electricity to the grid through distribution networks. These generators use all sorts of fuels – mainly, the U.S. electric grid carries electricity generated by
coal, natural gas, petroleum, nuclear power, and renewable energy. State by state, the exact percentages of each generating source differ:
State by state electrical generation mix
| STATE | Solar | Other renewables | Coal | Natural gas | Petroleum | Nuclear | Other |
|---|
| AK | 0.0% | 30.8% | 11.5% | 42.1% | 15.7% | 0.0% | -0.1% |
| AL | 0.5% | 12.1% | 15.8% | 40.2% | 0.0% | 31.7% | 0.0% |
| AR | 0.5% | 10.1% | 28.2% | 33.5% | 0.1% | 27.6% | 0.0% |
| AZ | 5.3% | 6.7% | 12.6% | 46.5% | 0.0% | 28.9% | 0.0% |
| CA | 15.7% | 26.9% | 0.2% | 47.7% | 0.0% | 8.4% | 1.2% |
| CO | 2.8% | 27.8% | 36.0% | 33.6% | -0.3% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| CT | 0.5% | 2.7% | 0.0% | 57.1% | 0.1% | 38.2% | 1.4% |
| DC | 6.3% | 27.3% | 0.0% | 66.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| DE | 1.0% | 1.5% | 2.0% | 92.6% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 2.8% |
| FL | 2.6% | 1.7% | 6.6% | 75.5% | 0.7% | 11.7% | 1.2% |
| GA | 3.1% | 8.4% | 11.6% | 49.3% | 0.2% | 27.3% | 0.1% |
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23921420/1411602080.jpg)
www.theverge.com
So corrupt.
