How Much Energy Does the US Use?

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Autocratic forces are ascendant.

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Autocratic forces are ascendant in America. But truth-telling independent media is one remaining bulwark against the unrestrained exercise of power. At a time when billionaire owners of corporate media are making accommodations to political leaders, our nonprofit newsroom cannot be bought or broken. Please stand with us.

This story first appeared on the Atlantic website and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.

We all know the U.S. consumes a massive amount of energy but it’s hard to wrap your head around the numbers. How much do we rely on oil? Do renewable resources make up a significant portion of our energy use? In the two-minute video above, Alexis Madrigal, The Atlantic‘s senior technology editor, walks through the key energy sources we depend on, from coal to wind and beyond. The facts and figures come to life with animation by Lindsey Testolin, a San Francisco-based artist.

This episode kicks off a six-part video series—a component of The User’s Guide to Energy special report. Don’t miss Madrigal’s introduction to the project and see Kyle Thetford’s “The US Energy Picture” for a more in-depth look at how the landscape is changing.