Which HBCU/PBI State Is Winning At Renewable Energy Production?

It is no secret that the world is moving towards a stronger reliance on renewable energy*, but there is a swath of the country that is moving extremely slow to embrace it. That swath is dominated by HBCU/PBI states who still dominantly prefer a traditional energy mix. The move towards renewable energy though is inevitable. This is both for environmental and economic reasons. To the latter, there is a massive investment and entrepreneurship opportunity available to HBCUpreneurs who want to help grow and cultivate the space in their respective states. American Association of Blacks In Energy (AABE) President Ralph Cleveland shared the following thoughts, “We will not meet the demands of energy transformation and climate change without Black institutions. This partnership reinforces the critical role HBCUs play in shaping the face of energy talent, development, and design. Not only do we need to create pathways to the C-Suite but we also need to activate our rich networks for a more inclusive energy ecosystem.” While we agree HBCUs need to create pathways to the C-Suite, we also believe the easiest and most economically empowering path there is to have HBCUs and HBCUpreneurs be the vanguard in creating renewable energy startups as highlighted in The Green Program’s ”19 Black Leaders on the Forefront of Clean Energy’ article. The power in energy like everything else is ultimately in the ownership.

HBCU Money took data from Yale Climate Connections and drilled down to the states that have HBCUs and PBIs located in them to see how the states where African America and its institutions are and will be impacted by the current energy mix in their state and also to highlight the opportunities that lay ahead as well. “Important note: The map shows electricity production within each state’s borders. Many states and utility companies exchange electricity with other states. So this data may not reflect the energy that is actually consumed — as opposed to generated — within each state.”

Why is nuclear not considered a renewable? National Grid states, “Nuclear fuels, such as the element uranium, are not considered renewable as they are a finite material mined from the ground and can only be found in certain locations.”

HIGHLIGHTS:

• The average HBCU/PBI state has renewable energy of 12% average and 9% median, respectively.
• Wind supplies the highest average renewable energy at 5% overall and hydropower supplies the highest median energy at 3% overall.
• Oklahoma, the overall leader, is also the leader in wind energy with 41% of its energy coming from wind.
• New York is the hydropower leader among HBCU/PBI states with 23% of its energy mix coming from water.
• California is the solar power leader among HBCU/PBI states with 19% of its energy mix coming from the sun.
• Only 6 of the 23 states have a double digit renewable energy source in their energy mix. Oklahoma, California, New York, Texas, Tennessee, Illinois.

OKLAHOMA

Renewable Electricity Generation: 44%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States: 10^th

Coal: 14%

Fossil Gas: 42%

Nuclear: 0%

Hydro: 3%

Wind: 41%

Solar: 0%

CALIFORNIA

Renewable Electricity Generation: 36%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States: 13^th

Coal: 0%

Fossil Gas: 47%

Nuclear: 9%

Hydro: 8%

Wind: 8%

Solar: 19%

NEW YORK

Renewable Electricity Generation: 28%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States 16^TH

Coal: 0%

Fossil Gas: 45%

Nuclear: 25%

Hydro: 23%

Wind: 3%

Solar: 1%

TEXAS

Renewable Electricity Generation: 26%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States: 18^th

Coal: 20%

Fossil Gas: 44%

Nuclear: 9%

Hydro: 0%

Wind: 23%

Solar: 3%

MASSACHUSETTS

Renewable Electricity Generation: 15%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States: 22^ND

Coal: 0%

Fossil Gas: 76%

Nuclear: 0%

Hydro: 6%

Wind: 1%

Solar: 8%

TENNESSEE

Renewable Electricity Generation: 15%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States: 23^RD

Coal: 23%

Fossil Gas: 16%

Nuclear: 46%

Hydro: 14%

Wind: 0%

Solar: 0%

NORTH CAROLINA

Renewable Electricity Generation: 13%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States: 26^th

Coal: 16%

Fossil Gas: 37%

Nuclear: 34%

Hydro: 5%

Wind: 0%

Solar: 8%

ILLINOIS

Renewable Electricity Generation: 11%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States: 28^TH

Coal: 23%

Fossil Gas: 11%

Nuclear: 54%

Hydro: 0%

Wind: 11%

Solar: 0%

INDIANA

Renewable Electricity Generation: 10%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States: 30^TH

Coal: 61%

Fossil Gas: 29%

Nuclear: 0%

Hydro: 0%

Wind: 9%

Solar: 1%

ALABAMA

Renewable Electricity Generation: 9%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States: 32^ND   

Coal: 20%

Fossil Gas: 38%

Nuclear: 33%

Hydro: 8%

Wind: 0%

Solar: 0%

MARYLAND

Renewable Electricity Generation: 9%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States: 33^RD  

Coal: 14%

Fossil Gas: 36%

Nuclear: 40%

Hydro: 6%

Wind: 1%

Solar: 2%

MICHIGAN

Renewable Electricity Generation: 8%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States: 34^TH  

Coal: 33%

Fossil Gas: 26%

Nuclear: 30%

Hydro: 1%

Wind: 7%

Solar: 0%

ARKANSAS

Renewable Electricity Generation: 7%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States: 35^TH  

Coal: 36%

Fossil Gas: 34%

Nuclear: 23%

Hydro: 7%

Wind: 0%

Solar: 1%

GEORGIA

Renewable Electricity Generation: 7%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States: 36^TH  

Coal: 16%

Fossil Gas: 47%

Nuclear: 29%

Hydro: 3%

Wind: 0%

Solar: 0%

KENTUCKY

Renewable Electricity Generation: 7%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States: 37^th  

Coal: 72%

Fossil Gas: 21%

Nuclear: 0%

Hydro: 7%

Wind: 0%

Solar: 0%

VIRGINIA

Renewable Electricity Generation: 5%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States: 39^TH  

Coal: 3%

Fossil Gas: 58%

Nuclear: 31%

Hydro: 1%

Wind: 0%

Solar: 4%

SOUTH CAROLINA

Renewable Electricity Generation: 5%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States: 40^th  

Coal: 16%

Fossil Gas: 24%

Nuclear: 56%

Hydro: 3%

Wind: 0%

Solar: 2%

FLORIDA

Renewable Electricity Generation: 4%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States: 43^RD   

Coal: 8%

Fossil Gas: 75%

Nuclear: 12%

Hydro: 0%

Wind: 0%

Solar: 4%

LOUISIANA

Renewable Electricity Generation: 2%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States: 47^TH   

Coal: 11%

Fossil Gas: 57%

Nuclear: 24%

Hydro: 2%

Wind: 0%

Solar: 0%

DELAWARE

Renewable Electricity Generation: 2%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States: 49^TH   

Coal: 8%

Fossil Gas: 88%

Nuclear: 0%

Hydro: 0%

Wind: 0%

Solar: 2%

MISSISSIPPI

Renewable Electricity Generation: 1%

Renewable Rank Among All 50 States: 50^TH   

Coal: 8%

Fossil Gas: 73%

Nuclear: 18%

Hydro: 0%

Wind: 0%

Solar: 1%