Arkansas' renewable energy generation lags U.S. overall
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There's nothing like a total solar eclipse to illustrate the massive impact the Sun has on our daily activities.
Why it matters: Solar and wind power are producing a growing share of America's overall energy supply, although that portion is bigger in some states than others, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick writes.
Zoom in: Arkansas generated 1,200 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity from solar power in 2023, up from 966 in 2022 and only 5 GWh a decade before.
- No significant electricity from wind is generated in the state.
The big picture: Solar installations supplied nearly 240,000 GWh of electricity across the U.S. in 2023, per Climate Central, a research nonprofit.
- That's eight times more than in 2014, the group says.
- Wind generation hit about 425,000 GWh last year — double that of a decade ago.
Context: "Together, these two renewable energy sources generated enough electricity in 2023 to power the equivalent of more than 61 million average American homes," per Climate Central.
Between the lines: California, Texas and Florida lead the country in solar power generation; Texas, Iowa and Oklahoma are the leaders in wind energy.
- In Texas, wind turbines generated 119,836 GWh of electricity in 2023, up 4% from 2022.
💬 Alex Fitzpatrick's thought bubble: Geography plays a role here — solar and wind power obviously make more sense in sunnier and breezier regions, respectively — as do state policies and incentives.
Reality check: Wind and solar projects haven't been without issues.
- Higher interest rates, inflation and supply chain issues are spoiling the financial math of some alt-energy investments.
- Blade and turbine issues have also plagued some wind-energy efforts.
What's next: Energy from wind and solar installations is expected to outpace coal-fired electricity this year, Axios Generate's Ben Geman reported.