Guide Rankings Infrastructure Updated July 19, 2026

Renewable Energy by State

Wind turbines and solar panels in a field under a clear sky

Renewable Energy by State

Ranking - Infrastructure

Iowa gets the largest share of its electricity from renewable sources of any state at 59.7%. Tennessee has the smallest share at 2.4%.

Quick Answer

Renewable Energy by State

  1. 1

    Iowa has the highest renewable energy share of any state at 59.7%, from 44,402 GWh of wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass generation.

  2. 2

    Texas produced 196,997 GWh of renewable electricity, more than any other state by volume, yet its 33.1% share ranks only 12th nationally. South Dakota is a much smaller producer at 12,698 GWh but a higher share at 57.1%.

  3. 3

    Tennessee has the lowest renewable energy share of any state at 2.4%, followed by Alaska at 2.7% and Pennsylvania at 2.8%.

Map

Renewable Energy by State Map

Renewable Energy Share (%)
No data
Iowa and South Dakota carry the darkest shading, at 59.7% and 57.1%. Tennessee, Alaska, and Pennsylvania are the lightest, all below 3%.
Renewable Energy by State Map
Rank State Renewable Energy Share (%)
1 Iowa 59.7
2 South Dakota 57.1
3 New Mexico 51.6
4 Kansas 49.5
5 Vermont 46.2
6 Oklahoma 46
7 California 43.6
8 Colorado 42.5
9 Maine 40.4
10 Nevada 40.1
11 North Dakota 35.5
12 Texas 33.1
13 Minnesota 32.3
14 Wyoming 31.3
15 Nebraska 28.7
16 Idaho 24.6
17 Montana 24
18 Hawaii 20.5
19 Oregon 20.1
20 Utah 19.8
21 Illinois 17.1
22 Arizona 17
23 Indiana 16.7
24 Massachusetts 16.7
25 Missouri 13
26 Virginia 12.4
27 Michigan 12.2
28 Rhode Island 11.3
29 North Carolina 11.2
30 Wisconsin 10.9
31 Florida 10.8
32 Georgia 10.7
33 New York 10
34 Washington 9.5
35 Arkansas 9.1
36 Ohio 7.7
37 New Hampshire 6.6
38 Maryland 6.5
39 Mississippi 6.5
40 South Carolina 4.9
41 Delaware 4.3
42 Louisiana 4.3
43 New Jersey 4.3
44 West Virginia 3.9
45 Alabama 3.3
46 Kentucky 3.3
47 Connecticut 3.1
48 Pennsylvania 2.8
49 Alaska 2.7
50 Tennessee 2.4

Iowa and South Dakota carry the darkest shading, at 59.7% and 57.1%. Tennessee, Alaska, and Pennsylvania are the lightest, all below 3%.

Renewable Energy by State Table

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Print-ready table — Renewable Energy by State

States With the Highest and Lowest Renewable Energy Share

Highest

59.7
Iowa flag
Iowa #1

Lowest

2.4
Tennessee flag
Tennessee #50

Top 10 Highest — Renewable Share

#1 Iowa flag Iowa
59.7
#2 South Dakota flag South Dakota
57.1
#3 New Mexico flag New Mexico
51.6
#4 Kansas flag Kansas
49.5
#5 Vermont flag Vermont
46.2
#6 Oklahoma flag Oklahoma
46.0
#7 California flag California
43.6
#8 Colorado flag Colorado
42.5
#9 Maine flag Maine
40.4
#10 Nevada flag Nevada
40.1

Top 10 Lowest — Renewable Share

#50 Tennessee flag Tennessee
2.4
#49 Alaska flag Alaska
2.7
#48 Pennsylvania flag Pennsylvania
2.8
#47 Connecticut flag Connecticut
3.1
#46 Kentucky flag Kentucky
3.3
#45 Alabama flag Alabama
3.3
#44 West Virginia flag West Virginia
3.9
#43 New Jersey flag New Jersey
4.3
#42 Louisiana flag Louisiana
4.3
#41 Delaware flag Delaware
4.3

Why Iowa Leads in Renewable Energy Share

Wind turbines standing across farmland under an open sky
Iowa leads every state with 59.7% of its electricity from renewable sources, on 44,402 GWh of generation.

Iowa leads every state at 59.7%, a result tied to wind providing 42,915 of its 44,402 GWh from renewables. South Dakota follows at 57.1%, and New Mexico is third at 51.6%.

Kansas rounds out the top four at 49.5%. California produces the most renewable electricity in this group by volume, 87,632 GWh, yet its 43.6% share ranks only seventh, behind smaller producers like Vermont at 46.2%.

Rank
1
State
Iowa
Renewable Share
59.7%
Renewable GWh
44,402
Rank
2
State
South Dakota
Renewable Share
57.1%
Renewable GWh
12,698
Rank
3
State
New Mexico
Renewable Share
51.6%
Renewable GWh
21,370
Rank
4
State
Kansas
Renewable Share
49.5%
Renewable GWh
31,283
Rank
5
State
Vermont
Renewable Share
46.2%
Renewable GWh
1,020
Rank
6
State
Oklahoma
Renewable Share
46.0%
Renewable GWh
41,967
Rank
7
State
California
Renewable Share
43.6%
Renewable GWh
87,632
Rank
8
State
Colorado
Renewable Share
42.5%
Renewable GWh
23,572
Rank
9
State
Maine
Renewable Share
40.4%
Renewable GWh
6,209
Rank
10
State
Nevada
Renewable Share
40.1%
Renewable GWh
17,991

States With the Lowest Renewable Energy Share

Coal-fired power plant with smokestacks against an overcast sky
Tennessee has the smallest renewable energy share of any state at 2.4% of its total electricity generation.

Tennessee has the smallest renewable share of any state at 2.4%, followed by Alaska at 2.7% and Pennsylvania at 2.8%. Connecticut sits just above at 3.1%.

Delaware, Louisiana, and New Jersey all tie at 4.3%, the highest mark in this bottom-ten group. Delaware's 232 GWh of renewable generation is the smallest volume of any state in the country.

Rank
41
State
Delaware
Renewable Share
4.3%
Renewable GWh
232
Rank
42
State
Louisiana
Renewable Share
4.3%
Renewable GWh
4,575
Rank
43
State
New Jersey
Renewable Share
4.3%
Renewable GWh
2,668
Rank
44
State
West Virginia
Renewable Share
3.9%
Renewable GWh
2,064
Rank
45
State
Alabama
Renewable Share
3.3%
Renewable GWh
4,686
Rank
46
State
Kentucky
Renewable Share
3.3%
Renewable GWh
2,389
Rank
47
State
Connecticut
Renewable Share
3.1%
Renewable GWh
1,384
Rank
48
State
Pennsylvania
Renewable Share
2.8%
Renewable GWh
6,883
Rank
49
State
Alaska
Renewable Share
2.7%
Renewable GWh
182
Rank
50
State
Tennessee
Renewable Share
2.4%
Renewable GWh
1,969

Renewable Energy Rankings With Hydropower

Large hydroelectric dam on a river
Washington's renewable share jumps from 9.5% to 69.5% once conventional hydropower is counted, the largest swing of any state besides Vermont.

Washington's renewable share rises from 9.5% to 69.5% when conventional hydropower is included. Idaho moves from 24.6% to 68.3%.

Vermont has the widest gap, rising from 46.2% without hydropower to 99.8% with it, the highest share in the country. Oregon moves from 20.1% to 61.4%, and New York rises from 10.0% to 29.7%.

State
Washington
Share Excl. Hydro
9.5%
Share Incl. Hydro
69.5%
State
Vermont
Share Excl. Hydro
46.2%
Share Incl. Hydro
99.8%
State
Idaho
Share Excl. Hydro
24.6%
Share Incl. Hydro
68.3%
State
Oregon
Share Excl. Hydro
20.1%
Share Incl. Hydro
61.4%
State
Montana
Share Excl. Hydro
24.0%
Share Incl. Hydro
57.4%
State
Alaska
Share Excl. Hydro
2.7%
Share Incl. Hydro
28.2%
State
South Dakota
Share Excl. Hydro
57.1%
Share Incl. Hydro
81.6%
State
New York
Share Excl. Hydro
10.0%
Share Incl. Hydro
29.7%

Quick Answers

Which state has the highest renewable energy share?
Iowa gets the largest share of its electricity from renewable sources of any state, 59.7%, from 44,402 GWh of wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass generation.
Which state has the lowest renewable energy share?
Tennessee has the lowest renewable energy share of any state at 2.4%, followed by Alaska at 2.7% and Pennsylvania at 2.8%.
Which state produces the most renewable electricity?
Texas produced 196,997 GWh of renewable electricity, more than any other state by volume, though its 33.1% share ranks only 12th nationally.
Does hydropower count as renewable energy in these rankings?
The main ranking excludes conventional hydropower. Including it raises Washington from 9.5% to 69.5% and Vermont from 46.2% to 99.8%, the highest share in the country.
Which states tie for the same renewable energy share?
Delaware, Louisiana, and New Jersey all share a 4.3% renewable share. Alabama and Kentucky tie at 3.3%.
Is a high renewable share the same as a large renewable energy producer?
California produces 87,632 GWh of renewable electricity, more than all but Texas, yet its 43.6% share ranks seventh. South Dakota produces 12,698 GWh but posts a higher share at 57.1%.

Methodology

Fool.com's state dataset counts wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass generation. The main renewable share excludes conventional hydropower.

Sources

Information is cross-referenced with official state archives.
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