How Much of New York’s Power Comes From Renewable Energy?

When you flip on a light switch in New York, have you ever wondered where that electricity comes from? More and more of it is coming from renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and water power. A new study looked at how renewable energy is growing across the United States and how New York State compares to the rest of the country.

Renewable Energy in New York Is Slowly Growing

The recent data shows that renewable energy is becoming a bigger part of New York’s power supply. In 2020, about 28% of New York’s electricity came from renewable sources. By 2024, that number grew to almost 30%. While that increase sounds small, it shows that the state is moving toward using more clean energy.

Solar and Wind Are Driving the Growth

The biggest increases in renewable energy in New York came from solar and wind power. Solar energy saw the largest jump. In 2020, solar made up 0.65% of New York’s electricity. By 2024, it rose to 2.42%. Wind energy also grew, going from 3.49% to 4.67% during the same time.

Hydroelectric Power Is Still the Biggest Source

Even though solar and wind are growing, hydroelectric power is still the largest renewable energy source in New York. The share of electricity from hydroelectric power dropped slightly from 22.83% in 2020 to 21.66% in 2024.

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How the Rest of the Country Compares

Across the United States, renewable energy is growing even faster. Nationally, renewable energy increased from 19.53% of electricity in 2020 to 22.66% in 2024. The biggest growth nationwide came from solar and wind energy. Solar power increased by nearly 3 percentage points nationwide, while wind energy grew by just over 2 percentage points.

What This Means for New York Residents

These numbers show that renewable energy is becoming a larger part of the power grid in New York. Almost one out of every three units of electricity used in New York comes from renewable sources. As solar panels and wind farms continue to grow, that number will keep climbing in the years ahead.