The Sustainable Energy in America Factbook 2024 was released last week, and the data shows some surprising green energy wins. However, it also highlights areas where the U.S. is behind on its sustainability goals—and much work still must be done to prevent climate catastrophe.  

In 2023, several records were broken. Firstly, electric vehicle sales hit an all-time high, increasing 50% from 2022 thanks to improved affordability and incentives. An estimated 1.46 million electric cars and trucks were sold in 2023, making up 7.6% of total new vehicle sales. 80% of those sold were fully electric, while 20% were hybrid.  

Greenhouse gas emissions fell 1.8%, reaching a level that has not been achieved since 1987. This is largely thanks to an increase in green energy production and improving energy efficiency around the country. 

 In 2023, the U.S. produced a record amount of wind, solar, hydroelectric, and nuclear power. These zero-carbon sources accounted for 41% of energy produced, up from 31% ten years ago. Wind and solar alone are generating enough electricity for over 60 million American homes.  

This energy is being added to the power grid at high rates. 42 gigawatts of new renewable power-generating capacity were added to the U.S. grid, a record number. A single gigawatt is enough to power about 750,000 homes, which means tens of millions can now be supported by renewables. 

Energy efficiency is also growing. In 2023, the U.S. economy expanded by 2.4% while energy consumption decreased by 1.4%. That means more work is being done using less energy—and consequently with less money spent on energy. This helps demonstrate that green practices are not at odds with economic goals and have a positive impact.  

The report shares a lot of good news, and it is worth celebrating. However, the reality this progress is not enough to keep the U.S. on track to hit its sustainability targets. Under the Paris Agreement, the country is aiming reduce its total emissions 50 to 52% below 2005 levels by 2030, and so far, it is falling behind these goals. 

Despite greats strides in clean energy production, the fastest growing fuel in the U.S. is currently natural gas, a fossil fuel that is better for the planet than coal, but still not the most sustainable solution. Plus, the amount generated in 2023 broke record, but needs to be a lot higher, according to experts.  

“We really need to be delivering 80 to 100 gigawatts of new, clean power capacity each and every year,” according to John Hensley, vice president of markets and policy analysis for the American Clean Power Association. “So, we are making strides in that direction. But we are a long way off the volume that we need.” 

The U.S. experienced another historic record last year: there were 28 climate-related disasters, an all-time high that resulted in $92.9 billion in damages. It is a stark reminder of exactly why it is crucial to keep working to hit emissions reduction targets.  

On the bright side, a record $303.3 billion in energy transition financing was deployed in the U.S. last year for clean energy technologies, including renewable energy, electric vehicles, power grid investment and others. A total of $1.7 trillion was invested across the globe. These investments will hopefully help accelerate the growth of green energy and help the U.S. get closer to its climate goals in the coming years. 

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