24/7 Wall St. Insights
- To mitigate the effects of climate change, the Biden Administration is aiming to make the U.S. power grid emissions free by 2035.
- However, state governments have broad discretion over their energy policy, while some are prioritizing emissions reduction, others remain heavily dependent on fossil fuels.
- Currently, Vermont stands out as a leader in clean energy.
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Generating over 6.3 billion metric tons of harmful greenhouse gasses in 2022, the U.S. pollutes more than any other country except China. That same year, the electric power sector alone accounted for about 25% of America’s air pollution, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
With climate change as a leading global threat, many countries are taking action to reduce emissions. In the United States, President Joe Biden set a goal of achieving an emissions-free power grid by 2035 — largely by cutting U.S. dependence on dirty power sources, like coal, and increasing our reliance on clean, renewable sources. (Here is a look at 11 American companies on the cutting edge of renewable technology.)
In the last 10 years alone, the amount of electricity produced in coal-fired power plants has fallen by over 57% in the United States, from 1.6 billion megawatt-hours in 2014 to 675.1 million megawatt-hours in 2023. Over the same period, electricity production from wind and solar farms nearly tripled, from 199.3 million megawatt-hours to 586.7 megawatt-hours. The shift has had a meaningful impact, as emissions from electric power generation have fallen by nearly 24% in the U.S. since 2014, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
The federal government has a long way to go to achieve its ambitious energy goals, and doing so will require the cooperation of states. Every state has its own climate, geography, and natural resources — as well as broad authority over energy policy. Partially as a result, some states are doing far more to reduce the climate impact of their power grid than others. (Here is a look at the states where carbon emissions are skyrocketing.)
Among the 50 states, Vermont stands out for deriving the largest share of its energy mix from clean sources. Nationwide, clean energy sources, like wind and solar, account for nearly 20% of electricity production with virtually no harmful gas emissions.
Of the 2.5 million megawatt-hours of electricity produced in Vermont in 2023, nearly 84% came from wind, solar, and hydroelectric facilities. Partially as a result, Vermont ranks as having a cleaner energy grid than any other state, generating only 13,800 metric tons of harmful emissions in 2022. For context, Idaho, the state with the second-cleanest power grid, generated nearly 2.3 million metric tons of air pollution the same year.
This is how Vermont generates electricity — and how much pollution its power grid produces. Electricity output is measured in megawatt-hours and harmful gas emissions are measured in metric tons. For context, a single megawatt-hour is enough to power an average American home for just over a month, and a metric ton is equal to about 2,205 pounds. All data is from the EIA.
Why It Matters
Electricity production is one of the heaviest polluting sectors in the United States. As demand for electricity continues to rise, much of the country is transitioning away from fossil fuels and toward clean and renewable energy sources to meet the Biden Administration’s climate change mitigation goals. Vermont has emerged as a national leader in this transition, deriving a larger share of its electricity from clean sources than any other state.
Coal
- Net-electricity production in 2023: None
- Coal as share of Vermont’s power grid: 0% of net-electricity production
- Harmful gas emissions from coal in 2022: None
- Coal as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in Vermont: 0%
- Vermont’s coal infrastructure in 2023: None
Hydroelectric
- Net-electricity production in 2023: 1.5 million megawatt-hours
- Hydroelectric as share of Vermont’s power grid: 62.06% of net-electricity production
- Harmful gas emissions from hydroelectric in 2022: None
- Hydroelectric as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in Vermont: 0%
- Vermont’s hydroelectric infrastructure in 2023: 130 generators, 47 facilities
Natural gas
- Net-electricity production in 2023: 1,264 megawatt-hours
- Natural gas as share of Vermont’s power grid: 0.05% of net-electricity production
- Harmful gas emissions from natural gas in 2022: 5,035 metric-tons of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide
- Natural gas as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in Vermont: 36.49%
- Vermont’s natural gas infrastructure in 2023: None
Nuclear
- Net-electricity production in 2023: None
- Nuclear energy as share of Vermont’s power grid: 0% of net-electricity production
- Harmful gas emissions from nuclear energy in 2022: None
- Nuclear energy as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in Vermont: 0%
- Vermont’s nuclear energy infrastructure in 2023: None
Petroleum
- Net-electricity production in 2023: 2,611 megawatt-hours
- Petroleum as share of Vermont’s power grid: 0.11% of net-electricity production
- Harmful gas emissions from petroleum in 2022: 7,787 metric-tons of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide
- Petroleum as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in Vermont: 56.43%
- Vermont’s petroleum infrastructure in 2023: 11 generators, 7 facilities
Pumped storage
- Net-electricity production in 2023: None
- Pumped storage as share of Vermont’s power grid: 0% of net-electricity production
- Harmful gas emissions from pumped storage in 2022: None
- Pumped storage as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in Vermont: 0%
- Vermont’s pumped storage infrastructure in 2023: None
Solar (thermal and photovoltaic)
- Net-electricity production in 2023: 191,503 megawatt-hours
- Solar as share of Vermont’s power grid: 7.72% of net-electricity production
- Harmful gas emissions from solar in 2022: None
- Solar as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in Vermont: 0%
- Vermont’s solar infrastructure in 2023: 51 generators, 51 facilities
Wind
- Net-electricity production in 2023: 339,614 megawatt-hours
- Wind as share of Vermont’s power grid: 13.69% of net-electricity production
- Harmful gas emissions from wind in 2022: None
- Wind as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in Vermont: 0%
- Vermont’s wind infrastructure in 2023: 5 generators, 5 facilities
Wood and wood derived fuels
- Net-electricity production in 2023: 346,641 megawatt-hours
- Wood fuels as share of Vermont’s power grid: 13.98% of net-electricity production
- Harmful gas emissions from wood fuels in 2022: 279 metric-tons of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide
- Wood fuels as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in Vermont: 2.02%
- Vermont’s wood fuels infrastructure in 2023: 4 generators, 3 facilities
Other biomass (incl. agricultural byproducts, landfill gas, and sludge waste)
- Net-electricity production in 2023: 56,611 megawatt-hours
- Other biomass as share of Vermont’s power grid: 2.28% of net-electricity production
- Harmful gas emissions from other biomass in 2022: 699 metric-tons of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide
- Other biomass as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in Vermont: 5.07%
- Vermont’s other biomass infrastructure in 2023: 5 generators, 1 facility
Other gasses (incl. propane, blast furnace gas, and waste gas from fossil fuels)
- Net-electricity production in 2023: None
- Other gasses as share of Vermont’s power grid: 0% of net-electricity production
- Harmful gas emissions from other gasses in 2022: None
- Other gasses as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in Vermont: 0%
- Vermont’s other gasses infrastructure in 2023: None
Other (incl. municipal solid waste, batteries, chemicals, and hydrogen)
- Net-electricity production in 2023: 2,710 megawatt-hours
- All other sources as share of Vermont’s power grid: 0.11% of net-electricity production
- Harmful gas emissions from all other sources in 2022: None
- All other sources as share of harmful gas emissions from electricity production in Vermont: 0%
- Vermont’s all other sources infrastructure in 2023: 8 generators, 8 facilities
All sources
- Net-electricity production in 2023: 2.5 million megawatt-hours
- Harmful gas emissions from all sources in 2022: 13,800 metric-tons of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide
- Vermont’s all sources infrastructure in 2023: 214 generators, 116 facilities
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