U.S. carbon dioxide emissions 1975-2022, by sector
The second largest contributor to U.S. emissions in 2021 was the electric power sector, which released 1.6 GtCO₂ into the atmosphere. Between 1990 and 2015, the electric power sector was the biggest source of CO₂ emissions in the U.S., but emissions from this sector have fallen significantly in recent decades as the country shifts towards cleaner energy sources and phases out coal.