2023 · Milestone
Renewables surpass coal in U.S. primary consumption
Under EIA's captured-energy approach, U.S. renewable consumption exceeded coal for the first time since about 1885—each about 8.2 quads.
Reconciliation note: Under the prior fossil-fuel-equivalency method, crossover occurred in 2019.
Historical era
Transition & policy (2020–2025)
Renewables matched coal in primary consumption (2023, captured-energy basis); federal climate and infrastructure laws accelerated investment.