Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Milliken.
The pull of decarbonization demand from public and private entities to mitigate the impact of climate change continues to speed the transition to sustainable energy sources.
More countries have strengthened their energy security and improved energy supply chain resiliency with sustainable sources due to global geopolitical conflicts involving major fossil fuel producers.
Technological advances in wind, solar, and battery storage have improved the economics of sustainable energy, allowing these sources to compete with — or even outpace — other energy sources.
These trends have all played out in the U.S. and contributed to the rising importance of sustainable, clean energy sources like wind, solar, nuclear, hydroelectric, and geothermal.
To find the states within the U.S. that have emerged as frontrunners in leveraging the expansion of sustainable energy enterprises, researchers at Milliken, a global manufacturing leader focused on sustainability, conducted an analysis. For more detailed information, refer to the methodology section at the end.
Following are the top states most focused on sustainable energy production.
15. North Dakota
- Share of energy production businesses in sustainable energy: 54.8%
- Share of energy production employment in sustainable energy: 6.6%
- Share of energy production payroll in sustainable energy: 4.8%
- Share of energy production from sustainable sources: 39.6%
- Change in energy production from sustainable sources (2018-2023): +7 pp
- Largest sustainable energy source: Wind
- Total sustainable energy production businesses: 17
- Total sustainable energy production employment: 114
- Total sustainable energy production payroll (annual): $10,154,000
- Total energy production businesses: 31
- Total energy production employment: 1,733
- Total energy production payroll (annual): $212,179,000
14. New Hampshire
- Share of energy production businesses in sustainable energy: 56.5%
- Share of energy production employment in sustainable energy: 22.9%
- Share of energy production payroll in sustainable energy: 18.4%
- Share of energy production from sustainable sources: 68.7%
- Change in energy production from sustainable sources (2018-2023): -0.7 pp
- Largest sustainable energy source: Nuclear
- Total sustainable energy production businesses: 35
- Total sustainable energy production employment: 256
- Total sustainable energy production payroll (annual): $24,386,000
- Total energy production businesses: 62
- Total energy production employment: 1,117
- Total energy production payroll (annual): $132,352,000
13. Virginia
- Share of energy production businesses in sustainable energy: 57%
- Share of energy production employment in sustainable energy: 63.8%
- Share of energy production payroll in sustainable energy: 65.6%
- Share of energy production from sustainable sources: 40.3%
- Change in energy production from sustainable sources (2018-2023): +7 pp
- Largest sustainable energy source: Nuclear
- Total sustainable energy production businesses: 45
- Total sustainable energy production employment: 1,093
- Total sustainable energy production payroll (annual): $144,540,000
- Total energy production businesses: 79
- Total energy production employment: 1,712
- Total energy production payroll (annual): $220,453,000
12. Wisconsin
- Share of energy production businesses in sustainable energy: 59.6%
- Share of energy production employment in sustainable energy: 33.3%
- Share of energy production payroll in sustainable energy: 33.1%
- Share of energy production from sustainable sources: 22.4%
- Change in energy production from sustainable sources (2018-2023): +0.8 pp
- Largest sustainable energy source: Nuclear
- Total sustainable energy production businesses: 59
- Total sustainable energy production employment: 842
- Total sustainable energy production payroll (annual): $96,845,000
- Total energy production businesses: 99
- Total energy production employment: 2,525
- Total energy production payroll (annual): $292,265,000
11. Nevada
- Share of energy production businesses in sustainable energy: 60%
- Share of energy production employment in sustainable energy: 53.9%
- Share of energy production payroll in sustainable energy: 40.5%
- Share of energy production from sustainable sources: 39.3%
- Change in energy production from sustainable sources (2018-2023): +12.2 pp
- Largest sustainable energy source: Utility-scale solar
- Total sustainable energy production businesses: 30
- Total sustainable energy production employment: 402
- Total sustainable energy production payroll (annual): $39,842,000
- Total energy production businesses: 50
- Total energy production employment: 746
- Total energy production payroll (annual): $98,414,000
10. New York
- Share of energy production businesses in sustainable energy: 61.3%
- Share of energy production employment in sustainable energy: 72.1%
- Share of energy production payroll in sustainable energy: 73.8%
- Share of energy production from sustainable sources: 51.7%
- Change in energy production from sustainable sources (2018-2023): -6.8 pp
- Largest sustainable energy source: Hydroelectric
- Total sustainable energy production businesses: 111
- Total sustainable energy production employment: 3,493
- Total sustainable energy production payroll (annual): $495,369,000
- Total energy production businesses: 181
- Total energy production employment: 4,845
- Total energy production payroll (annual): $671,530,000
9. South Carolina
- Share of energy production businesses in sustainable energy: 61.4%
- Share of energy production employment in sustainable energy: 71.1%
- Share of energy production payroll in sustainable energy: 74.6%
- Share of energy production from sustainable sources: 60%
- Change in energy production from sustainable sources (2018-2023): +3.3 pp
- Largest sustainable energy source: Nuclear
- Total sustainable energy production businesses: 43
- Total sustainable energy production employment: 2,448
- Total sustainable energy production payroll (annual): $310,517,000
- Total energy production businesses: 70
- Total energy production employment: 3,445
- Total energy production payroll (annual): $416,359,000
8. Florida
- Share of energy production businesses in sustainable energy: 62.9%
- Share of energy production employment in sustainable energy: 25.2%
- Share of energy production payroll in sustainable energy: 23.7%
- Share of energy production from sustainable sources: 18.2%
- Change in energy production from sustainable sources (2018-2023): +5 pp
- Largest sustainable energy source: Nuclear
- Total sustainable energy production businesses: 100
- Total sustainable energy production employment: 716
- Total sustainable energy production payroll (annual): $69,388,000
- Total energy production businesses: 159
- Total energy production employment: 2,841
- Total energy production payroll (annual): $292,163,000
7. Iowa
- Share of energy production businesses in sustainable energy: 65.8%
- Share of energy production employment in sustainable energy: 51.2%
- Share of energy production payroll in sustainable energy: 45.7%
- Share of energy production from sustainable sources: 61.6%
- Change in energy production from sustainable sources (2018-2023): +18.6 pp
- Largest sustainable energy source: Wind
- Total sustainable energy production businesses: 48
- Total sustainable energy production employment: 527
- Total sustainable energy production payroll (annual): $46,367,000
- Total energy production businesses: 73
- Total energy production employment: 1,030
- Total energy production payroll (annual): $101,439,000
6. California
- Share of energy production businesses in sustainable energy: 65.8%
- Share of energy production employment in sustainable energy: 67.1%
- Share of energy production payroll in sustainable energy: 64.8%
- Share of energy production from sustainable sources: 59%
- Change in energy production from sustainable sources (2018-2023): +6.1 pp
- Largest sustainable energy source: Utility-scale solar
- Total sustainable energy production businesses: 266
- Total sustainable energy production employment: 5,636
- Total sustainable energy production payroll (annual): $830,696,000
- Total energy production businesses: 404
- Total energy production employment: 8,400
- Total energy production payroll (annual): $1,281,525,000
5. Maine
- Share of energy production businesses in sustainable energy: 67.9%
- Share of energy production employment in sustainable energy: 28.7%
- Share of energy production payroll in sustainable energy: 33.1%
- Share of energy production from sustainable sources: 55.9%
- Change in energy production from sustainable sources (2018-2023): +5.5 pp
- Largest sustainable energy source: Hydroelectric
- Total sustainable energy production businesses: 36
- Total sustainable energy production employment: 165
- Total sustainable energy production payroll (annual): $16,838,000
- Total energy production businesses: 53
- Total energy production employment: 574
- Total energy production payroll (annual): $50,919,000
4. Washington
- Share of energy production businesses in sustainable energy: 72.7%
- Share of energy production employment in sustainable energy: 19.7%
- Share of energy production payroll in sustainable energy: 20%
- Share of energy production from sustainable sources: 76.8%
- Change in energy production from sustainable sources (2018-2023): -7.6 pp
- Largest sustainable energy source: Hydroelectric
- Total sustainable energy production businesses: 40
- Total sustainable energy production employment: 636
- Total sustainable energy production payroll (annual): $88,100,000
- Total energy production businesses: 55
- Total energy production employment: 3,235
- Total energy production payroll (annual): $441,220,000
3. Idaho
- Share of energy production businesses in sustainable energy: 75.4%
- Share of energy production employment in sustainable energy: 71.7%
- Share of energy production payroll in sustainable energy: 71.5%
- Share of energy production from sustainable sources: 65.1%
- Change in energy production from sustainable sources (2018-2023): -13.7 pp
- Largest sustainable energy source: Hydroelectric
- Total sustainable energy production businesses: 46
- Total sustainable energy production employment: 367
- Total sustainable energy production payroll (annual): $38,654,000
- Total energy production businesses: 61
- Total energy production employment: 512
- Total energy production payroll (annual): $54,062,000
2. Montana
- Share of energy production businesses in sustainable energy: 78.3%
- Share of energy production employment in sustainable energy: 30.7%
- Share of energy production payroll in sustainable energy: 43.4%
- Share of energy production from sustainable sources: 48.5%
- Change in energy production from sustainable sources (2018-2023): +0.3 pp
- Largest sustainable energy source: Hydroelectric
- Total sustainable energy production businesses: 18
- Total sustainable energy production employment: 160
- Total sustainable energy production payroll (annual): $25,353,000
- Total energy production businesses: 23
- Total energy production employment: 522
- Total energy production payroll (annual): $58,398,000
1. Oregon
- Share of energy production businesses in sustainable energy: 79%
- Share of energy production employment in sustainable energy: 65.9%
- Share of energy production payroll in sustainable energy: 71.6%
- Share of energy production from sustainable sources: 60.7%
- Change in energy production from sustainable sources (2018-2023): -7.5 pp
- Largest sustainable energy source: Hydroelectric
- Total sustainable energy production businesses: 49
- Total sustainable energy production employment: 670
- Total sustainable energy production payroll (annual): $99,811,000
- Total energy production businesses: 62
- Total energy production employment: 1,016
- Total energy production payroll (annual): $139,396,000
Methodology
The data used in this analysis is from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 County Business Patterns and the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s 2023 Electricity dataset.
To find the states with the most businesses focused on sustainable energy production, Milliken calculated the sustainable energy production businesses as a percentage of all energy production businesses.
Sustainable energy production businesses were considered to be those classified by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) as:
- Hydroelectric Power Generation (221111)
- Nuclear Electric Power Generation (221113)
- Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)
- Wind Electric Power Generation (221115)
- Geothermal Electric Power Generation (221116)
Sustainable energy production, or carbon pollution-free electricity, was considered to be any electricity generation that does not directly emit carbon dioxide, including nuclear, conventional hydroelectric, wind, solar, and geothermal energy.
Milliken also calculated the share of energy production employment in sustainable energy, the share of energy production payroll in sustainable energy, the share of energy production from sustainable sources, the change in energy production from sustainable sources from 2018 to 2023, and the largest sustainable energy source in each state.
While the analysis predominantly delves into the technical aspects of sustainable energy production and its efficacy in curbing carbon emissions, it is crucial to acknowledge a broader perspective.
Milliken recognizes that sustainable energy encompasses more than just carbon reduction; it extends to the impact on biodiversity, pollution, local communities, worker wages, and other social aspects of energy production.
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