State Trends in Renewable Energy Generation
NREL's State of the States 2009 analysis summarizes the national- and state-level trends in 2007 for renewable energy generation.
State Rankings
The analysis ranks states according to:
Key Findings
Hydroelectric resources continued to provide the largest portion of renewable energy generation in the United States in 2007, although it is down 14% from 2006. In addition to many of the larger-scale hydroelectric resources having already been developed, this decline could be the result of increased development of other renewable energy resources and drought conditions across the country.
Wind energy accounted for the largest percentage of nationwide growth in renewable generation between 2001–2007, as well as between 2006–2007.
Biomass development continues to grow across most regions of the United States, indicating the widespread nature of biomass resources. The leading states in biomass generation growth from 2006 – 2007 are spread across the United States, including Delaware, Utah, Minnesota, and Alaska.
Although generation from renewable resources as a percent of total national generation declined from 2006 to 2007, generation from non-hydroelectric renewable resources increased its share of total national generation.
Renewable energy growth is largely outstripped by economic growth as measured by gross state product and population growth.
- According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA) data, between 2001 and 2007:
- Thirty-two states increased electricity generation from biomass resources
- Twenty-eight states from wind electricity production
- Four states from geothermal electricity production
- Four states from large-scale solar electricity production (distributed solar not collected by EIA).
