The document emphasizes that 47 out of 50 states can meet their electricity needs entirely with in-state renewable resources. It highlights significant advancements in renewable energy, including cost reductions and capacity growth over the past decade. Various potential sources of renewable energy such as solar, wind, geothermal, and hydro are quantitatively assessed for each state.

1. E N E R G Y S E L F -
R E L I A N T S TAT E S
3 R D E D I T I O N , 2 0 2 0

2. 92%
23%
59%
96%
POTENTIAL PERCENTAGE
OF ELECTRICITY FROM
ALL RENEWABLES
50 to 99%
100% or more
given current electricity consumption
All Renewables Potential
Source: U.S. EIA Sales by State by Sector (2017). https://bit.ly/2ZHd7Ls
Forty-seven of the nation’s 50
states can meet 100% of their
electricity needs with
renewable electricity produced
solely in-state.
(The remaining three can do a lot, too).

3. A L O T H A S
C H A N G E D I N 1 0
Y E A R S

4. $0.00
$0.05
$0.10
$0.15
$0.20
$0.25
2009 2019
Sources: NREL, Lazard
A DECADE OF COST DECLINES IN
RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION
Rooftop solar Utility-scale solar Wind energy

5. 0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Wind capacity
Solar capacity
A DECADE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY GROWTH
Megawatts
Sources: AWEA, SEIA

6. M O R E R E N E WA B L E
E L E C T R I C I T Y P O T E N T I A L
T H A N E V E R

7. Source: U.S. Solar Photovoltaic Assessment, U.S. NREL (2016). https://bit.ly/2Z1g2PT
30%
23%
44%
33%
41%
31%
53%
31%
29%
34%
60%
26%
32%
40%
50%
35%
23%
75%
38%
34%
32%
27%
33%
27%
27%
14%
34%
43%
33%
44%
19%
38%
35%
41%
39%
34%
40%
34%
28%
38%
46%
31%
36%
38%
63%
55%
63%
47%
43%
49%
2008 data
23%
Rooftop Solar Potential
POTENTIAL PERCENTAGE
OF ELECTRICITY FROM
ROOFTOP SOLAR POWER
0%
1 to 14%
15 to 34%
35 to 49%
50% or More
all buildings

8. Source: Enabling Wind Power Nationwide, U.S. DOE (2015). https://bit.ly/34PZHAZ
60%
23%
15%
16%
15%
190%
47%
57%
323%
17%
60%
40%
26%
53%
47%
93%
67%
78%
360%
294%
279%
225%
407%
952%
>1,000%
>1,000%
580%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
312%
542%
756%
415% 231%
295%
>1,000%
356%
974%
>1,000%
>1,000%
513%
>1,000%
POTENTIAL PERCENTAGE
OF ELECTRICITY FROM
ONSHORE WIND POWER
0 to 9%
10 to 24%
25 to 49%
50 to 99%
100% or more
Onshore Wind Potential

9. Source: WindExchange, U.S. NREL (2010). https://bit.ly/2NXjyVj
0%
23%
0%
159%
476%
0%
79%
463%
0%
793%
>1,000%
584%
297%
318%
>1,000%
24%
0%
801%
0%
0%
0%
466%
>1,000%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
107%
0%
591%
0%
>>1,000%
54%
>1,000%
10%
110%
356%
>1,000%
109%
0%
0%
0%
>1,000%
0%
POTENTIAL PERCENTAGE
OF ELECTRICITY FROM
OFFSHORE WIND POWER
0%
1 to 24%
25 to 49%
50 to 99%
100% or more
Offshore Wind Potential

10. Source: Assessment of Geothermal Resources, USGS (2008). https://bit.ly/2NZKR11
0%
23%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
18%
34%
3%
0%
1%
10%
18%
11%
2%
11%
4%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0% 0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
14%
81%
104%
POTENTIAL
PERCENTAGE OF
ELECTRICITY FROM
CONVENTIONAL
GEOTHERMAL POWER
0%
1 to 9%
10 to 24%
25 to 49%
50% or More
Conventional Geothermal Potential

11. Source: Feasibility Assessment, U.S. DOE (2006). http://bit.ly/2nbVcwZ
2%
23%
0%
1%
0%
3%
1%
0%
3%
1%
0%
1%
1%
1%
1%
3%
6%
5%
1%
1%
2%
13%
16%
35%
45%
12%
5%
6%
0%
2%
1%
4%
5%
3%
1%
3%
1%
5%
1%
2%
1%
1% 1%
2%
15%
6%
16%
4%
3%
12%
172%
POTENTIAL
PERCENTAGE OF
ELECTRICITY FROM
SMALL HYDRO POWER
0%
1 to 9%
10 to 24%
25 to 50%
Over 50%
Hydro Potential

12. WE DIDN’T EVEN COUNT UTILITY-
SCALE SOLAR!

13. E F F I C I E N C Y M AT T E R S

14. Source: U.S. EIA Sales by State by Sector (2017). https://bit.ly/2ZHd7Ls
403%
23%
150%
526%
703%
681%
203%
957%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
837%
664%
>1,000%
312%
426%
978%
>1,000%
840%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
913%
691%
>1,000%
750%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
POTENTIAL PERCENTAGE
OF ELECTRICITY FROM
ALL RENEWABLES
0 to 9%
10 to 24%
25 to 49%
50 to 99%
100% or more
All Renewables Potential
matching New York’s energy intensity
>1,000%
>1,000%

15. P L E N T Y O F P O W E R
F O R E L E C T R I C C A R S
A N D B U I L D I N G S

16. Source: Electrification Futures Study, U.S. NREL (2017). https://bit.ly/2O16IFn
67%
23%
41%
144%
317%
164%
107%
434%
262%
596%
797%
498%
249%
256%
840%
103%
73%
543%
320%
234%
221%
526%
>1,000%
748%
>1,000%
>1,000%
397%
>1,000%
815%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
880%
>1,000%
398%
>1,000%
308% 253%
396%
>1,000%
287%
606%
907%
>1,000%
NO ELECTRIFICATION DATA
POTENTIAL PERCENTAGE
OF ELECTRICITY FROM
ALL RENEWABLES
0 to 9%
10 to 24%
25 to 49%
50 to 99%
100% or more
in a high electrification scenario
All Renewables Potential

17. E F F I C I E N C Y +
E L E C T R I F I C AT I O N =
1 0 0 % I N 4 9 S TAT E S

18. 151%
23%
72%
248%
370%
321%
115%
652%
576%
>1,000%
948%
>1,000%
416%
335%
863%
156%
177%
543%
473%
410%
494%
788%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
573%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
>1,000%
548%
>1,000%
559% 415%
396%
>1,000%343%
815%
>1,000%
>1,000%
NO ELECTRIFICATION DATA
POTENTIAL PERCENTAGE
OF ELECTRICITY FROM
ALL RENEWABLES
0 to 9%
10 to 24%
25 to 49%
50 to 99%
100% or more
low energy intensity* and high electrification
*energy use under low energy intensity (electricity use per GDP)
is calculated where intensity is equivalent to New York
All Renewables Potential

19. R E A D
M O R E AT
I L S R . O R G