As the price of a barrel of oil moves well above $100, the use of fossil fuels has become an economic issue nearly as much as it has been an environmental one, at least in places where oil and coal are the primary sources of energy. This has touched off a battle. Should nations avoid economic downturns that may be triggered by high energy prices, or should they accept high prices as a necessary means to improve the environment? It is extremely hard to have it both ways. Yet, another challenge is a moral one. Should countries buy oil from Russia now that it has invaded Ukraine? For some nations, the financial cost will be extremely high if they shun Russian crude.
The recently released Solar Energy Overview from energy plan marketplace Save on Energy points out that: “Solar energy is quickly becoming a more popular and affordable power source for homeowners and businesses. With residential solar energy, you can lower your carbon footprint and see substantial cost savings.” The need for those saving may become ever more acute.
The researchers looked at data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) to determine solar energy use by state in 2019 and 2020. The study used thousand megawatt hours (MWh) for its rankings.
The ranking was not driven by state population. Although California, the largest state by population, ranked first, Texas, the second largest state by that measure, ranked sixth. Florida, the third-largest state by population ranked eighth on the list. One small state ranked in the top 10 for thousand megawatt hours used. Hawaii was in seventh place.
In terms of most residential solar power produced, Arizona ranked second, followed by New Jersey, Massachusetts and New York. Here are the top 10 states based on solar energy generation:
| State | 2020 Generation (MWh) | % of U.S. Total |
|---|---|---|
| California | 17,498 | 41.92 |
| Arizona | 2,924 | 7.01 |
| New Jersey | 2,526 | 6.05 |
| Massachusetts | 2,340 | 5.61 |
| New York | 2,300 | 5.51 |
| Texas | 1,612 | 3.86 |
| Hawaii | 1,214 | 2.91 |
| Florida | 1,119 | 2.68 |
| Maryland | 1,015 | 2.43 |
| Nevada | 876 | 2.10 |
Click here to see which state has the lowest gasoline price in America.
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