Generation of Electricity by US States

Abstract

This chapter explores how the fifty US states generate electricity, and the analysis shows significant variation in how electricity is generated state-by-state. While coal was formerly the dominant fuel for generating electricity, natural gas surpassed coal in 2015. Although thirteen states still produce more than 50% of their electricity from coal, fourteen states generated less than 5%. There have been no new nuclear power plants built since 1996, but seven states still generated more than 40% of their electricity from this resource. In renewable energy, wind and solar are gaining in importance. Fourteen states now generate more than 10% of their electricity from wind, and three states more than 30%. Solar energy is also growing, but mostly in the sun-drenched states of California, Arizona, Nevada, and North Carolina, which account for 67% of US solar energy. Hydroelectric is also important, and five states generated more than 50% of their electricity from hydroelectric plants.

Keywords

Identifiers

DOI

10.1093/oso/9780190098391.003.0014

Journal

The Changing Energy Mix

Year

2020