The line graph illustrates energy consumption in the USA by six fuel types—petrol and oil, coal, natural gas, nuclear, solar/wind, and hydropower—from 1980 to 2030, based on data from a 2008 report.
Overall, petrol and oil consistently accounted for the largest share of energy consumption, while nuclear, solar/wind, and hydropower remained relatively minor contributors throughout the period. Coal and natural gas demonstrated moderate growth, with coal projected to surpass natural gas after 2015.
Petrol and oil consumption fluctuated slightly between 1980 and 1995, ranging from 35 to 33 quadrillion units, before rising steadily. By 2030, it is expected to reach nearly 50 quadrillion units. Similarly, coal consumption increased gradually from 15 quadrillion units in 1980 to approximately 25 quadrillion units in 2015, with a sharper rise anticipated, reaching about 31 quadrillion units in 2030. In contrast, natural gas consumption, which showed slight growth until 2015, is forecast to stabilize at around 25 quadrillion units.
Nuclear, solar/wind, and hydropower all started at around 4 quadrillion units in 1980. While hydropower remained stable at about 3 quadrillion units, nuclear and solar/wind showed modest increases, reaching 6 and 5 quadrillion units, respectively, by 2030.