Energy Sources
Which of the following energy sources provides the least energy for the United States?
Correct Answer
Among the sources listed above, solar provides the least energy for the United States. From highest to lowest, petroleum supplied 35.9% of all energy consumed in 2023, followed by natural gas at 34.1%, coal at 8.3%, nuclear at 8.2%, wind at 3.8%, biofuels at 2.7%, solar at 2.2%, hydroelectric at 2.1%, wood at 1.9%, biowaste at 0.4%, and geothermal at 0.2%. For more than 40 years, the U.S. has heavily subsidized solar while discouraging the use of competing energy sources through taxes and regulations. Because solar panels only generate electricity when the sun is shining, and utility-scale electricity can't be easily stored, most solar power capacity must be backed-up by other energy sources that generate electricity on demand, such as natural gas. This limits solar production and increases the hidden costs of solar. In Germany, which subsidizes wind and solar more aggressively than the U.S., the average price of household electricity is about 3.2 times that of the United States.