Texas is the top state for renewable energy | SaveOnEnergy.com
Texas trumps all as the best state for renewable energy
Texas enjoys a huge lead in electricity generation by wind.
When it comes to energy generation from renewable sources, Texas is the undisputed king. The state generated more than 6.5 million megawatt hours of electricity from renewable sources, according to the latest monthly data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Sources measured included wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, wood and wood-derived materials and other biomass – the six categories designated as renewable by the EIA. A megawatt is one million watts of power.
Now that all the technical stuff is out of the way, let’s look at Texas’ standing in the renewable power world. It leads second-place Washington by nearly 270,000 megawatt hours. No other state is even close.
Top 10 Renewable States
| State | Megawatt hours | State | Megawatt hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 6,502,749 | Oklahoma | 2,459,216 |
| Washington | 6,231,765 | Iowa | 2,004,038 |
| California | 5,169,859 | Kansas | 1,509,300 |
| New York | 3,316,814 | Alabama | 1,507,158 |
| Oregon | 3,271,305 | Minnesota | 1,269,090 |
Where Texas built its lead
| State | Megawatt hours | State | Megawatt hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 5,996,535 | California | 980,975 |
| Oklahoma | 2,179,071 | Minnesota | 977,414 |
| Iowa | 1,913,395 | North Dakota | 919,000 |
| Kansas | 1,501,324 | Colorado | 755,567 |
| Illinois | 1,121,544 | Washington | 601,263 |
Solar energy and Texas
| State | Megawatt hours | State | Megawatt hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 1,599,708 | Florida | 176,212 |
| North Carolina | 407,192 | Utah | 126,230 |
| Arizona | 323,070 | Georgia | 119,777 |
| Nevada | 280,215 | New Mexico | 75,747 |
| Texas | 230,032 | Minnesota | 73,176 |
Biomass and Texas
| State | Megawatt hours | State | Megawatt hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 229,071 | Massachusetts | 89,102 |
| Florida | 215,204 | Michigan | 82,371 |
| Pennsylvania | 163,483 | New Jersey | 70,274 |
| New York | 139,575 | North Carolina | 51,871 |
| Virginia | 99,973 | Texas | 50,468 |
Other renewables and Texas
| State | Megawatt hours | State | Megawatt hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 365,629 | Louisiana | 207,860 |
| Alabama | 282,864 | Maine | 207,611 |
| South Dakota | 252,686 | Florida | 206,474 |
| California | 242,441 | South Carolina | 180,187 |
| Virginia | 241,551 | North Carolina | 153,647 |
| State | Megawatt hours | State | Megawatt hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 5,488,817 | Tennessee | 946,226 |
| New York | 2,723,632 | Montana | 736,325 |
| Oregon | 2,647,309 | Idaho | 720,881 |
| Alabama | 1,201,144 | North Carolina | 558,111 |
| California | 1,150,205 | Arizona | 486,815 |
| State | Megawatt hours | State | Megawatt hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 1,007,459 | Oregon | 16,325 |
| Nevada | 309,592 | Idaho | 6,733 |
| Utah | 40,245 | New Mexico | 1,383 |
| Hawaii | 27,803 | US total | 1,409,540 |
Fun facts about Texas renewable energy
- Texas produces 18.6 percent of its electricity from renewable sources. That’s the 22nd largest percentage of any state. Vermont is first with 85.8 percent.
- Texas produces 5.3 megawatt hours per capita, the 39th largest amount. Wyoming is first, with 1,112 megawatts per capita.
- Texas could shoot up in the solar rankings and expand its overall lead in renewable power. The Phoebe solar farm, which is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year, will be the state’s largest. It is designed to produce 250 megawatts.