Press Mention Governing March 20, 2025

SACE Referenced Web article

In 2024, More Electricity Than Ever Came From Renewable Sources

By Carl Smith · Governing

In this mention

A Governing article reports that renewable electricity generation reached a record high in 2024, with wind and solar overtaking coal for the first time. The article notes that the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy projected solar electricity production in the Southeast would double by 2027, highlighting regional growth potential despite renewables remaining a smaller share of the energy mix east of the Mississippi.

In 2024, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy projected that solar electricity production in the region would double by 2027.
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Read the full article at Governing

In 2024, More Electricity Than Ever Came From Renewable Sources

A record amount of electricity came from renewable sources in 2024, with both red and blue states leading the way.

March 21, 2025 •

Carl Smith

In Brief:

Electricity generation from renewable sources reached a new high in 2024.
Texas was far and away the leader among U.S. states.
Four out of the five states generating the largest share of renewable electricity are red states.

Renewable electricity generation reached a new peak in 2024, with wind and solar overtaking coal for the first time. In addition, the year-on-year increase in solar generation was greater than for gas generation.

Over the past 10 years, only natural gas and renewable generation use have increased. While the share from natural gas remains larger, the pace of growth in renewables is much greater (see graph).

This month, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that wind and solar combined accounted for almost 27 percent of all electricity generation last year, increasing 21 percent from the year before.

Electricity generation by source, 2014-2024 (thousands of megawatt hours)

"Other renewables" = renewable sources other than hydroelectric. One megawatt hour could power the average home for more than a month.

Only natural gas and renewable generation increased over the past 10 years, by 160% and 260% respectively. Renewable generation exceeded coal-powered elecricity generation for the first time in 2024.

California may have the nation's highest profile as a clean energy advocate, but last year more than twice as much renewable energy was generated in Texas. "A lot" of the credit for the state's success goes to leaders at the municipal utility Austin Energy, says Travis County Commissioner Brigid Shea.

They played an important role in advocating for a renewable portfolio standard for the state, she says — a requirement that a specified share of power sold by utilities come from renewable sources. Adopted in 1999, it set targets for renewable energy capacity which applied to suppliers in proportion to their share of energy sales. The 2025 goal set at adoption was achieved by 2009.

Shea was a member of the Austin City Council when the city partnered with Austin Energy and the Lower Colorado River Authority on the state's first wind power project. The venture was fought as a waste of money, she recalls, but today Texas leads the country in wind energy, accounting for more than a fourth of all electricity from that source.

Total power produced from renewable sources

Thousand megawatt hours

After California, the remaining states in the top-five producers were Iowa, Oklahoma and Kansas. Iowa was the first state to establish a renewable portfolio standard, in 1983.

2024 renewable power generation by state

Top 20 producers. (Thousand megawatt hours.)

Four of the top five producers voted majority Republican in 2024. "Red" states in the top 20 generated almost twice as much renewable energy as did "blue" ones.

Texas

161,432

California

76,574

Iowa

45,257

Oklahoma

38,900

Kansas

30,647

Illinois

26,799

Colorado

22,651

Florida

20,597

New Mexico

18,769

Minnesota

18,560

Nevada

16,500

North Dakota

15,226

North Carolina

14,360

Georgia

13,767

Michigan

13,414

Arizona

12,778

Indiana

12,679

Nebraska

12,526

Oregon

12,127

South Dakota

11,528

Iowa was the leader in regard to the share of all electricity generated from renewable sources, almost 65 percent. Twelve states achieved a third or more. Despite being the leading producer, Texas fell just short of this (see map).

Share of energy from renewable sources, 2024

In 12 states, a third or more of electricity was generated through renewable sources. As with total generation, there was bipartisan representation among the leading states.

Iowa

64.7%

South Dakota

60.9%

Kansas

52.1%

New Mexico

48.9%

Oklahoma

41.3%

Vermont

39.5%

Maine

39.4%

Colorado

38.6%

Nevada

36.7%

California

36.6%

North Dakota

34.8%

Nebraska

33.2%

With some exceptions, renewable electricity is a significantly smaller part of the mix east of the Mississippi. Wind and solar are the most cost-efficient sources of new electric generation, even without subsidies from state or federal government. In 2024, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy projected that solar electricity production in the region would double by 2027.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the country has enough wind, solar, hydropower and other renewable resources to generate 100 times the annual power needs of Americans.

Percentage of power generated from renewable sources, 2024

Hover over state for percentage and total power generation.