The Most Eco-Friendly States in America

The air in Hawaii is very clean. The Aloha State has, on average, the lowest concentration of harmful fine particulate matter per cubic meter among states. The state legislature’s current goal is for 100% of the state’s energy to come from renewable sources by 2045. Already, there are days in Hawaii when 60% of all electricity is generated by renewable sources.

Hawaii has a major state financial incentive for energy sufficiency — the Green Energy Market Securitization financing program. The program provides people with products that result in electricity bill savings.

Minnesota has made great strides in reducing its reliance on coal in recent years. Coal-fired power plants accounted for 39% of utility-scale electricity generation in the state in 2017, a considerable improvement from 49% as recently as 2014. As of 2017, 19% of electricity produced in the state was wind generated, a larger share than in all but six other states. Overall, renewable energy sources like biomass, wind, and hydroelectricity account for over a quarter of all energy produced in the state.

Montana has some of the cleanest air in the country — it has the fourth lowest concentration of harmful particulate matter per cubic meter among states. The low concentration of particulate matter is partially the result of the state’s increased reliance on clean energy. Nearly half of all electricity generated in the state comes from renewable sources — compared to just 17% of energy production nationwide. Most renewable energy in the state is either hydroelectric or wind generated.

New Hampshire generates 22.8% of its electricity from fossil fuels, the fifth lowest share of all states. In comparison, all but seven states generate more than 38.0% of their electricity from oil, coal, or natural gas.

The state has incorporated several renewable energy incentives, one of which is a property tax exemption for certain installations such as solar panels, wind turbines, and central wood-fired heating systems.

Colorado has one of the most environmentally friendly job markets in the country, with more than one in every five workers employed in a green industry. Additionally, 24% of workers in the state commute using environmentally sound means, like biking or walking, a larger share than in most other states. Colorado also has relatively clean air with a lower concentration of harmful particulate matter per cubic meter than all but six other states.

Connecticut is now one of the 18 states that have adopted the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). The code’s goal is to provide a model for efficiency in the buildings sector. This was the second code update in the state in the last two years.

The state’s Clean Energy Fund, a public benefits fund, raises private investment to sponsor renewable and clean energy development across Connecticut. The state is ranked by the ACEEE as having the fifth strongest set of policies related to energy efficiency.

South Dakota generates 75.1% of its electricity from renewable sources — primarily wind and hydroelectricity. Vermont, Washington, and Idaho are the only states that derive a larger share of their electricity from renewable sources. There are over 600 wind turbines in South Dakota, and four of the six major dams along the Missouri River are located in the state.

South Dakota has not always been a national leader in green energy production. Thanks in part to some public policy initiatives, electricity generated through coal in the state fell from 52% of total production to 21% over the last 10 years.

Maryland is one of only nine states where more than 20% of the labor force works in jobs that improve or minimize damage to the environment. Additionally, one in every four commuters get to work using environmentally friendly means like walking or public transit. Partially as a result, Maryland ranks among the five states with the lowest petroleum consumption rates per capita.

Nuclear power is relatively environmentally friendly as its generation produces far less greenhouse gas emissions than fossil fuels. Maryland’s Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant accounts for 44% of the state’s energy production, and only five states rely more on nuclear power than Maryland.

In the ACEEE 2018 Energy Efficiency Scorecard, Massachusetts has the highest state energy efficiency score — 44 out of 50 — of all states. The score measures policies on utility, transportation, building efficiency, combined heat and power, state government initiatives, and appliance efficiency standards.

The state’s Three-Year Energy Efficiency Plan sets a fuel-neutral savings target by 2021. About $220 million will be invested in gridside modernization technologies to improve efficiency of energy production. The state’s goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050.

Though New York’s renewable energy profile is not as strong as some of the most eco-friendly states, the state ranks high for having some of the most eco-friendly energy conservation policies, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. In April 2018, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced plans to accelerate the state’s green energy goals to include a 40% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and an 80% reduction by 2050. Part of the plan includes an announced $36.5 million in clean energy job training.

California produces more electricity from clean energy sources like solar, geothermal, and biomass than any other state. It is also the second largest producer of hydroelectricity. Indeed, green energy is a major industry in the state, as more than one in every five employees in California work in green jobs — meaning they work to benefit the environment in some way.

Programs across the state, like San Francisco’s 2007 law that requires taxi companies to reduce emissions 20% below 1990 levels, help reduce overall energy consumption. Only two states have lower energy consumption per capita than California.

A national leader in green energy, Maine generates three-quarters of its electricity from renewable sources — more than all but four other states. For reference, just 17% of electricity in the United States is generated through renewable sources like wind and solar. Green energy production will likely only increase in Maine in the coming years. Voters last year elected Janet Mills governor of the state. Mills campaign promised to repeal restrictions on wind and solar energy production put in place by the previous administration.

Idaho ranks as one of the most eco-friendly states in the country, in large part due to its energy profile. Nearly 82% of the state’s electricity generation is from renewable sources, second only to Vermont. The majority of renewable energy generated in the state comes from hydroelectric power. Just 0.1% of the state’s energy production comes from burning coal, lower than nearly any U.S. state.

Oregon passed a law in 2016 that requires the state’s largest utility companies to stop paying for out-of-state coal by 2030. The law also mandates the companies to provide at least half of the electricity from renewable sources, such as the wind or sun, by 2040. As of 2017, 73.1% of the electricity in the state came from renewable sources, the sixth highest share in the country and about four times higher than the share nationwide of 17.0%.

Oregon is one of the few states in the country that have reduction targets for vehicle miles traveled. The goal is for light-duty vehicles to drive between 17.0% and 21.0% less by 2035.

About 23% of workers in Washington are employed in green jobs — meaning they either produce goods and services that benefit the environment or work to reduce their organization’s harmful impact on the environment. Neighboring Oregon is the only state where a larger share of workers is employed in green jobs. Washington is home to the Grand Coulee Dam, which stretches across the Columbia River and is the largest hydroelectric plant in the United States. Partially as a result, Washington accounts for about a quarter of all hydroelectricity generation in the country.

In 2015, Vermont became the first state to enact a renewable energy standard. The measure required that at least 75% of retail electricity would come from renewable sources by 2032.

Today, Vermont is the only state where nearly all of its generated electricity is through renewable sources.

Vermont’s shift to renewable energy has transformed the state economy as jobs in solar panel installation are about 19 times more common in the state than they are nationwide. While solar is a significant source of electricity in Vermont, the bulk of renewable energy is hydroelectric.