US reaches highest energy independence in decades

The United States produced enough energy last year to satisfy 84 percent of its demand, the highest share since 1987, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said.

Energy production reached 81.7 quadrillion British thermal units (BTU), an 18 percent increase from 2005, when the ratio of energy produced to energy consumed hit an all-time low, the Houston Chronicle reported.

{mosads}The country consumed 97.5 quadrillion BTU, a 2.7 percent decrease from 2005, the Chronicle said, citing EIA data.

The increase in the energy security ratio from 2005’s 69 percent correlated with the recent oil and gas production boom, though coal output dropped during that time.

The last time the United States produced more energy than it used was in the 1950s.

The International Energy Agency projected in April that the United States would again become energy independent around 2035.