US electricity generation becomes more dependent on fossil fuels than China

Since June, the share of fossil fuels in US electricity generation has surpassed that of China, casting doubt on America’s claim to lead the transition to clean energy.

According to data from the energy think tank Ember, US power companies relied on fossil fuels for 62.4% of total electricity generation over the past four months.

During the same period, fossil fuels accounted for over 60.5% of electricity generation in China, the world’s largest electricity producer and biggest polluter.

The high reliance on fossil fuels in the US occurred over the summer when domestic electricity demand reached its peak due to extensive use of air conditioning. Meanwhile, China’s dependence on fossil fuels decreased somewhat amid a prolonged economic downturn.

Nevertheless, the higher reliance on fossil fuels in the US indicates that China has made efforts to increase clean power production and has come closer to reaching peak fossil fuel consumption in electricity generation compared to the US.

Without a rapid reduction in fossil-fuel-based electricity generation, the US risks falling behind other major economies in decarbonizing its power sector and losing its credibility as a leader in combating climate change.

Power producers have taken a dual approach in advancing the shift to clean energy by both reducing fossil fuel consumption and increasing clean energy supplies.

According to the report by Ember, clean electricity generation in the US has become a priority over the past five years, with electricity production from clean energy sources increasing by approximately 16% since 2019.

However, the continuous growth in electricity demand has limited the ability of power companies to reduce fossil fuel-based generation.

In fact, fossil fuel power generation in the first nine months of 2024 decreased by only 0.8% compared to the same period in 2019, reaching 1,967 terawatt-hours. Coal’s share of US electricity production fell from around 25% in 2019 to 15% this year.

But as electricity demand has continued to rise annually, power companies have had to increase gas-fired power generation to compensate for the reduction in coal use. From January to September this year, gas-fired power production reached 1,450 terawatt-hours, marking a 20% increase from the same period in 2019. The share of natural gas in the power mix rose from 38% in 2019 to 43% this year.

According to Reuters, overall electricity production in the US grew by about 5.5% from 2019 to 2024, driven by increased usage of electric vehicles, data centers, and AI applications, which have all contributed to higher overall energy consumption.

BY WPB