24/7 Wall St. Insights

• To mitigate the effects of climate change, the Biden Administration is aiming to make the U.S. power grid emissions free by 2035.
• However, state governments have broad discretion over their energy policy, while some are prioritizing emissions reduction, others remain heavily dependent on fossil fuels. 
• Currently, West Virginia has one of the dirtiest power grids in the country.
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One of the largest and most developed countries in the world, the United States is also one of the worst polluters globally. Each year, the U.S. generates more harmful greenhouse gasses than every other country, except China. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, America’s total greenhouse gas emissions topped 6.3 billion metric tons in 2022 — about 25% of which was attributable to electricity production.

With climate change as a leading global threat, many countries are taking action to reduce emissions. In the United States, President Joe Biden set a goal of achieving an emissions-free power grid by 2035 — largely by cutting U.S. dependence on dirty power sources, like coal, and increasing our reliance on clean, renewable sources. (Here is a look at 11 American companies on the cutting edge of renewable technology.)

In the last 10 years alone, the amount of electricity produced in coal-fired power plants has fallen by over 57% in the United States, from 1.6 billion megawatt-hours in 2014 to 675.1 million megawatt-hours in 2023. Over the same period, electricity production from wind and solar farms nearly tripled, from 199.3 million megawatt-hours to 586.7 megawatt-hours. The shift has had a meaningful impact, as emissions from electric power generation have fallen by nearly 24% in the U.S. since 2014, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The federal government has a long way to go to achieve its ambitious energy goals, and doing so will require the cooperation of states. Every state has its own climate, geography, and natural resources — as well as broad authority over energy policy. Partially as a result, some states are doing far more to reduce the climate impact of their power grid than others. (Here is a look at the states where carbon emissions are skyrocketing.)

Among the 50 states, West Virginia stands out for its continued dependence on coal. Nationwide, coal accounts for only about 16% of electricity production and over half of all harmful gas emissions from the electric power sector.

More coal is produced in West Virginia than in any other state except Wyoming, and in 2023, 86% of the 52.3 million megawatt-hours of electricity generated in the state came from coal-fired power plants. These power plants also generated 49.1 million metric tons of air pollution in 2022 — more than 97% of all harmful gas emissions created by West Virginia’s power grid, according to the EIA.

This is how West Virginia generates electricity — and how much pollution its power grid produces. Electricity output is measured in megawatt-hours and harmful gas emissions are measured in metric tons. For context, a single megawatt-hour is enough to power an average American home for just over a month, and a metric ton is equal to about 2,205 pounds. All data is from the EIA.

Why It Matters

Electricity production is one of the heaviest polluting sectors in the United States. As demand for electricity continues to rise, much of the country is transitioning away from fossil fuels and toward clean and renewable energy sources to meet the Biden Administration’s climate change mitigation goals. Like many other resource rich states, West Virginia continues to rely heavily on fossil-fuels — particularly coal.

Coal

• Net-electricity production in 2023: 44.8 million megawatt-hours
• Coal as share of West Virginia’s power grid: 85.68% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from coal in 2022: 49.1 million metric-tons of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide
• Coal as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in West Virginia: 97.26%
• West Virginia’s coal infrastructure in 2023: 19 generators, 10 facilities

Hydroelectric

• Net-electricity production in 2023: 1.5 million megawatt-hours
• Hydroelectric as share of West Virginia’s power grid: 2.93% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from hydroelectric in 2022: None
• Hydroelectric as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in West Virginia: 0%
• West Virginia’s hydroelectric infrastructure in 2023: 37 generators, 12 facilities

Natural gas

• Net-electricity production in 2023: 3.7 million megawatt-hours
• Natural gas as share of West Virginia’s power grid: 7.04% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from natural gas in 2022: 1.3 million metric-tons of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide
• Natural gas as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in West Virginia: 2.50%
• West Virginia’s natural gas infrastructure in 2023: 17 generators, 4 facilities

Nuclear

• Net-electricity production in 2023: None
• Nuclear energy as share of West Virginia’s power grid: 0% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from nuclear energy in 2022: None
• Nuclear energy as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in West Virginia: 0%
• West Virginia’s nuclear energy infrastructure in 2023: None

Petroleum

• Net-electricity production in 2023: 162,826 megawatt-hours
• Petroleum as share of West Virginia’s power grid: 0.31% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from petroleum in 2022: 122,754 metric-tons of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide
• Petroleum as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in West Virginia: 0.24%
• West Virginia’s petroleum infrastructure in 2023: 1 generator, 1 facility

Pumped storage

• Net-electricity production in 2023: None
• Pumped storage as share of West Virginia’s power grid: 0% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from pumped storage in 2022: None
• Pumped storage as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in West Virginia: 0%
• West Virginia’s pumped storage infrastructure in 2023: None

Solar (thermal and photovoltaic)

• Net-electricity production in 2023: None
• Solar as share of West Virginia’s power grid: 0% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from solar in 2022: None
• Solar as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in West Virginia: 0%
• West Virginia’s solar infrastructure in 2023: None

Wind

• Net-electricity production in 2023: 2.1 million megawatt-hours
• Wind as share of West Virginia’s power grid: 4.00% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from wind in 2022: None
• Wind as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in West Virginia: 0%
• West Virginia’s wind infrastructure in 2023: 9 generators, 8 facilities

Wood and wood derived fuels

• Net-electricity production in 2023: None
• Wood fuels as share of West Virginia’s power grid: 0% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from wood fuels in 2022: None
• Wood fuels as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in West Virginia: 0%
• West Virginia’s wood fuels infrastructure in 2023: None

Other biomass (incl. agricultural byproducts, landfill gas, and sludge waste)

• Net-electricity production in 2023: 9,088 megawatt-hours
• Other biomass as share of West Virginia’s power grid: 0.02% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from other biomass in 2022: 63 metric-tons of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide
• Other biomass as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in West Virginia: 0%
• West Virginia’s other biomass infrastructure in 2023: 2 generators, 1 facility

Other gasses (incl. propane, blast furnace gas, and waste gas from fossil fuels)

• Net-electricity production in 2023: 31,968 megawatt-hours
• Other gasses as share of West Virginia’s power grid: 0.06% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from other gasses in 2022: 47 metric-tons of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide
• Other gasses as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in West Virginia: 0%
• West Virginia’s other gasses infrastructure in 2023: None

Other (incl. municipal solid waste, batteries, chemicals, and hydrogen)

• Net-electricity production in 2023: -13,947 megawatt-hours
• All other sources as share of West Virginia’s power grid: -0.03% of net-electricity production
• Harmful gas emissions from all other sources in 2022: None
• All other sources as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in West Virginia: 0%
• West Virginia’s all other sources infrastructure in 2023: 2 generators, 2 facilities

All sources

• Net-electricity production in 2023: 52.3 million megawatt-hours
• Harmful gas emissions from all sources in 2022: 50.4 million metric-tons of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide
• West Virginia’s all sources infrastructure in 2023: 87 generators, 36 facilities

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