This Is How Much Renewable Energy Your State Produces

Only 2.3% of electricity produced in Delaware comes from renewable sources, the smallest share of any state in the country. The state’s renewable energy comes from a mix of solar, wind, and biomass.

Over 90% of electricity in Delaware is generated through natural gas-burning power plants. Over the last decade, the state has reduced its reliance on coal considerably while ramping up use of natural gas. Delaware does not produce enough electricity to meet in-state demand and buys anywhere from one-third to one-quarter of its electricity from other states.

Mississippi is one of only four states where renewable sources account for less than 3% of electricity production. A largely agricultural state, Mississippi has considerable biomass resources such as logging residue, crop residue, and livestock manure. Biomass accounts for the largest share of renewable electricity in Mississippi followed by solar.

Natural gas is by far the largest contributor to the state’s power grid, accounting for 74% of electricity production. Of the 10 largest power plants in the state, nine are natural gas-burning. Mississippi is also home to the Grand Gulf Nuclear Power Station, the largest nuclear reactor in the United States. Nuclear power accounts for about 17% of the state’s electricity production.

Only 2.7% of electricity produced in Ohio comes from renewable sources, the third smallest share of any state in the country. Like many Midwestern states, the largest renewable electricity source in Ohio is wind. The state’s largest wind farm has 152 wind turbines. In the coming years, the state plans to increase electricity production from wind substantially.

Ohio has about 5% of the nation’s recoverable coal supply. Coal has historically been the largest electricity source in the state. However, in 2019, it was overtaken by natural gas for the first time. Natural gas-fired power plants account for about 43% of electricity production in Ohio compared to coal, which accounts for 39%. A decade ago, coal-burning plants generated 83.6% of electricity in the state, compared to just 3.4% generated by natural gas-burning power plants.

New Jersey generates just 2.8% of its total electricity production through renewable sources. Over half of that is generated through solar power, and the rest is from biomass.

The bulk of electricity production in New Jersey happens in natural gas-fired power plants. There are also three operational nuclear power plants in the state that account for 37.5% total electricity production. Nuclear power shouldered a larger share of the state’s electricity production not long ago. However, the state in 2018 shuttered its Oyster Creek nuclear power plant, which at the time was the oldest operational nuclear reactor in the country.

Connecticut is one of eight U.S. states in which less than 4% of the electricity comes from renewable sources. It is also one of just three states in which biomass sources, like plants such as corn and soy, provide more renewable energy than any other renewable source.

In a break from the broader national trend, Connecticut is one of just 10 states in which the share of renewable sources declined over the last decade, falling from 4.1% of the state’s energy production to 3.3%.