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Topic 16 of 18 · Country Index 2026

United States: Energy

Where does a country’s electricity come from, and who can get it?

United States is placed 59th of 165 countries on energy in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Carbon Intensity of Electricity 383.81 (2024); Renewable Share of Electricity Generation 24.06 (2024).

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Energy

59th

of 165 countries placed

Placed from 3 of 3 key statistics

Country Index 2026, all topics37th of 183 →

01The evidence

The 3 key statistics that decide it

Only these place United States on energy — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.

Why these keys

  1. Key 1 of 3

    Carbon Intensity of Electricity

    Ember

    Why it is a key

    2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0

    383.81

    Carbon intensity (gCO₂e per kWh generated)

    Lower is better

    United States: 383.81. Across the 165 countries in this edition, values run from 23.73 (Bhutan) to 1,306 (Turkmenistan); the world median is 433.75.

    World median
    433.75
    Best in Northern America
    138.33 Greenland

  2. Key 2 of 3

    Renewable Share of Electricity Generation

    Ember

    Why it is a key

    2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0

    24.06

    Renewables (% of electricity generated)

    Higher is better

    United States: 24.06. Across the 165 countries in this edition, values run from 0 (Gambia) to 100 (Paraguay); the world median is 32.06.

    World median
    32.06
    Best in Northern America
    83.33 Greenland

  3. Key 3 of 3

    World Energy Trilemma Index

    World Energy Council

    Why it is a key

    2023 edition · data for 2023 · Express reuse grant (no Creative Commons licence named)

    78.9

    Trilemma score (0–100)

    Higher is better

    Ranked 10th of 99 by World Energy Council

    United States: 78.9. Across the 126 countries in this edition, values run from 27.7 (Niger) to 83.2 (Denmark); the world median is 63.8.

    World median
    63.8
    Best in Northern America
    81 Canada
    Land neighbours
    Canada 81 · Mexico 63.6

03In context

United States beside its neighbours

A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 165 countries on energy, never a place within the region.

Northern America
1st165thNot placed · 59 countries with too few key statisticsNo data

The whole world on energy

United States and the countries it borders

Standing among all 165; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.

CountryStandingCarbon Intensity of ElectricityCarbon intensity (gCO₂e per kWh generated)Renewable Share of Electricity GenerationRenewables (% of electricity generated)World Energy Trilemma IndexTrilemma score (0–100)
United States59th383.8124.0678.9
Canadacomparenot placed——81
Mexicocomparenot placed——63.6

“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is

Across Northern America

Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 165.

Placed either side on energy

The countries immediately above and below United States in the topic’s list.

04Context, no vote

Where United States is ahead of the world, and behind

24 more statistics filed under energy, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.

Every country

Ahead of the world median6

Statistics on which United States does better than the middle country measured.

  • RISE Energy Efficiency Policy ScoreESMAP · 2023 · world median 48.2381.64▼ Worsened since 2013

    United States: 81.64 · world median 48.23 · Energy efficiency policy score (0–100). World Bank Group (ESMAP), 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 1.975 to 95.93; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • RISE Renewable Energy Policy ScoreESMAP · 2023 · world median 33.2674.8▲ Improved since 2013

    United States: 74.8 · world median 33.26 · Renewable energy policy score (0–100). World Bank Group (ESMAP), 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 3.056 to 89.52; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Firms Identifying Electricity as a Major ConstraintWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 25.777.716No earlier reading

    United States: 7.716 · world median 25.77 · Firms rating electricity a major or very severe constraint (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 84.77; lower is better.

    Position 152nd of 179 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2026 dataset

  • Wind and Solar Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 5.27917.21▼ Worsened since 2014

    United States: 17.21 · world median 5.279 · Wind and solar (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 69.12; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Firms Owning or Sharing a GeneratorWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 24.8520.53No earlier reading

    United States: 20.53 · world median 24.85 · Firms owning or sharing a generator (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.158 to 90.51; lower is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2026 dataset

  • Low-Carbon Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 37.3241.87No real change since 2014

    United States: 41.87 · world median 37.32 · Low-carbon sources (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.

    Position 79th of 162 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

Behind the world median3

Statistics on which United States does worse than the middle country measured.

  • Energy Intensity of GDP (PPP)EIA · 2024 · world median 2.7384.16▲ Improved since 2014

    United States: 4.16 · world median 2.738 · Energy use per dollar of GDP (thousand Btu per US$ at PPP). U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.666 to 17.45; lower is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Coal Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 014.85▲ Improved since 2014

    United States: 14.85 · world median 0 · Coal (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 98.25; lower is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • CO₂ Emissions per CapitaGlobal Carbon Project · 2024 · world median 3.2114.2No real change since 2014

    United States: 14.2 · world median 3.21 · Fossil CO₂ (tonnes per person). Global Carbon Project, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.054 to 41.27; lower is better.

    Position 12th of 210 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

Level with the median, or no median to compare2

  • Access to ElectricityWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 100100▼ Worsened since 2014

    United States: 100 · world median 100 · Population with electricity access (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 5.4 to 100; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Access to Electricity, RuralWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 100100▼ Worsened since 2014

    United States: 100 · world median 100 · Rural population with electricity access (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.7 to 100; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

No better end13

These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.

  • Crude Oil ProductionEIA · 2025 · world median 013,586No real change since 2015

    United States: 13,586 · world median 0 · Crude oil produced (thousand barrels per day). U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 13,586.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Natural Gas ProductionEIA · 2024 · world median 01,069No real change since 2014

    United States: 1,069 · world median 0 · Dry natural gas produced (billion cubic metres). U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 1,069.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Solar Electricity Installed CapacityEIA · 2024 · world median 0.144176.68No real change since 2014

    United States: 176.68 · world median 0.144 · Solar generating capacity installed (gigawatts). U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 886.66.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Primary Energy ProductionEIA · 2024 · world median 0.077103.55No real change since 2014

    United States: 103.55 · world median 0.077 · Primary energy produced (quadrillion Btu). U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 130.76.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Operating Wind Power CapacityGlobal Energy Monitor · 2026 · world median 100157,594No earlier reading

    United States: 157,594 · world median 100 · Wind farm capacity in operation (megawatts). Global Energy Monitor, 2026 edition, data for 2026.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 542,758.

    Chart and every countryThe 2026 dataset

  • Operating Coal Power CapacityGlobal Energy Monitor · 2026 · world median 525184,448No earlier reading

    United States: 184,448 · world median 525 · Coal-fired capacity in operation (megawatts). Global Energy Monitor, 2026 edition, data for 2026.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 1,263,101.

    Chart and every countryThe 2026 dataset

  • Primary Energy Consumption per CapitaEIA · 2024 · world median 49.5278.47No real change since 2014

    United States: 278.47 · world median 49.5 · Energy use per person (million Btu). U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.95 to 766.07.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Nuclear Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 017.81No real change since 2014

    United States: 17.81 · world median 0 · Nuclear (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 67.4.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Gas Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 2.58542.59No real change since 2014

    United States: 42.59 · world median 2.585 · Natural gas (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 99.97.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Solar Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 3.0496.918Moved since 2014

    United States: 6.918 · world median 3.049 · Solar (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 50.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Net Electricity Imports (share of generation)Ember · 2024 · world median 00.315Moved since 2014

    United States: 0.315 · world median 0 · Net electricity imports (% of domestic generation). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from -70.16 to 707.07.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Photovoltaic Power Potential (PVOUT)World Bank Group (ESMAP), data by Solargis · 2020 · world median 4.2734.358No earlier reading

    United States: 4.358 · world median 4.273 · Practical solar power potential (kWh per kWp per day, long-term average). World Bank Group (ESMAP), data by Solargis, 2020 edition, data for 2020.

    Published values in that edition run from 2.513 to 5.379.

    Chart and every countryThe 2020 dataset

  • Hydro Share of Electricity GenerationEmber · 2024 · world median 12.855.398No real change since 2014

    United States: 5.398 · world median 12.85 · Hydropower (% of electricity generated). Ember, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

No current reading for United States

Primary Schools with Electricity (last 2019), RISE Clean Cooking Policy Score and RISE Electricity Access Policy Score. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.

“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing

05Country Index 2026

Energy among United States’s 16 topics

Energy is United States’s 12th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.

On the profile
  1. Mobility & Trade7th of 177
  2. Digital & Technology8th of 198
  3. Food & Agriculture12th of 184
  4. Work & Labour14th of 182
  5. Governance & Institutionsjoint 25th of 194
  6. Health & Wellbeingjoint 30th of 200
  7. Economy & Innovation28th of 176
  8. Development & Human Capital46th of 196
  9. Gender & Equalityjoint 43rd of 183
  10. Education & Knowledge60th of 198
  11. Democracy & Civil Liberties68th of 198
  12. Energy59th of 165
  13. Risk & Resilience72nd of 193
  14. Poverty & Inequality79th of 159
  15. Peace & Security136th of 177
  16. Environment & Sustainability171st of 186

06The top of the list

Who leads on energy

The three countries placed highest of 165, and the leaders United States can most readily be measured against.

All 165 countries
  1. 1

    Bhutan

    Southern Asia

    1st of 165 · 2 of 3 keys

    Photo: VIkramjit Kakati derivative work: ויקיג'אנקי · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

  2. 2

    Norway

    Northern Europe

    2nd of 165 · 3 of 3 keys

    Photo: Ximonic , Simo Räsänen · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

  3. 3

    Uganda

    Eastern Africa

    3rd of 165 · 2 of 3 keys

    Photo: Rod Waddington from Kergunyah, Australia · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale

Placed highest nearby

  1. Highest in Americas

    Venezuela=8th2/3 keys

  2. Highest in Northern America

    Greenland22nd2/3 keys

  3. This page

    United States59th3/3 keys

Positions out of 165 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.

07Questions

United States on energy: questions answered

Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.

How does United States rank on energy?

United States is placed 59th of 165 countries on Energy in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics (Carbon Intensity of Electricity, Renewable Share of Electricity Generation and World Energy Trilemma Index). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.

What is the latest Carbon Intensity of Electricity figure for United States?

383.81 in 2024 (carbon intensity (gCO₂e per kWh generated)), according to Ember. The world median in the same edition was 433.75.

What is the latest Renewable Share of Electricity Generation figure for United States?

24.06 in 2024 (renewables (% of electricity generated)), according to Ember. The world median in the same edition was 32.06.

How does United States compare with Mexico on energy?

Mexico is not placed on Energy, holding too few of its key statistics, and United States 59th. World Energy Trilemma Index: Mexico 63.6, United States 78.9.

How have United States’s energy figures changed?

Carbon Intensity of Electricity fell from 607.52 in 2000 to 383.81 in 2024; Renewable Share of Electricity Generation rose from 9.23 in 2000 to 24.06 in 2024.

Which energy statistics are missing for United States?

No current reading is published for United States on Primary Schools with Electricity, RISE Clean Cooking Policy Score and RISE Electricity Access Policy Score. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.

08Method

Method, sources and how to cite

What this topic does not measure

This is deliberately the electricity and energy-system subject, not an infrastructure one: roads, railways, ports, water and telecommunications would each need a global series this site does not hold. Emissions are under Environment & Sustainability. Access to electricity is published here in full but takes no part in any ranking — more than half the world’s countries now report 100%, and a position derived from that would read “1, 1, 1 … 123”, which is noise rather than information.

About energy, in full

How the Energy standing is decided

A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 3 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 3 keys to be placed.

The energy method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built

The key statistics and their licences

The other 24 statistics on this page come from 7 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.

The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photographs

United States’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.

Cite this page

Nations Inquiry (2026). United States: Energy — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/united-states/energy

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