As shown in the latest edition of the Energy Information Administration's Annual Energy Review, a close examination of America's entire energy history reveals dramatic shifts in the Nation's reliance on energy resources and a picture of continual change (see figure).
In addition to substantial (though unrecorded) quantities of human, animal, water, and wind power, wood fueled the country from its earliest years through the middle of the 19th century. Reliance on wood gave way to coal in the second half of the 19th century. Coal remained vital to the energy mix, but it, too, was eventually surpassed by other newly developed resources - petroleum and natural gas.
The 20th century witnessed immense growth in fossil-fuel consumption as well as the development and maturation of hydroelectric power, which has continued to provide a dependable stream of energy. In the second half of the century, yet another source of energy came of age in the form of nuclear electric power, which also made a significant contribution to fulfilling the energy requirements of the Nation.
Annual Energy Review 1999 is a comprehensive statistical and graphical history of energy in the United States, documenting milestones and long-term trends in major energy data series, such as production, consumption, trade, storage, pricing, and others. Many of the annual time series run from 1949 through 1999, creating a half-century historical context for the data published in EIA's companion Monthly Energy Review. Extensive appendices and a glossary help make Annual Energy Review 1999 a standard-setting reference.
Annual Energy Review 1999, DOE/EIA-0384(99); 412 pages, 158 tables, 144 figures, 5 diagrams.
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File last modified: July 26, 2000