{"id":7157,"date":"2025-06-02T10:27:26","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T14:27:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/environmentamerica.org\/massachusetts\/articles\/south-dakota-an-unexpected-leader-in-renewable-energy\/"},"modified":"2026-06-22T16:40:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T20:40:13","slug":"south-dakota-an-unexpected-leader-in-renewable-energy","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/environmentamerica.org\/massachusetts\/articles\/south-dakota-an-unexpected-leader-in-renewable-energy\/","title":{"rendered":"South Dakota, an unexpected leader in renewable energy"},"featured_media":58691,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":false,"_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":""},"campaign_tax":[153],"display_option":[],"issue_tax":[],"person_tax":[220],"region_tax":[],"state":[2],"topic_tax":[121,123,136,143,145],"class_list":["post-7157","article","type-article","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"details":{"helper_taxonomies":{"topics":[121,123,136,143,145],"collection":false,"press_type":false,"person_type":false,"resource_type":false,"event_type":false,"campaigns":153,"department":false,"level":false,"states":[2],"act_option":false,"display_option":false,"primary":{"topic":121}},"featured_image":58691,"caption_override":"One of South Dakota's many wind turbines ","excerpt":"South Dakota quietly built one of the cleanest energy portfolios in the country, helping redefine what clean power looks like.","updated_on":null,"sidebar_action":[1855],"hide_hero_image":false,"sidebar_action_query_string":""},"helper_people_group":{"title":"Authors","entities":[{"type":"dynamic","dynamic_person":{"site":2,"people":"1024"},"information":{"name":"","image":null,"role":"","biography":"","contact":{"twitter":"","facebook":"","email":"","phone":""}}},{"type":"dynamic","dynamic_person":{"site":2,"people":"1113"},"information":{"name":"","image":null,"role":"","biography":"","contact":{"twitter":"","facebook":"","email":"","phone":""}}}]},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_wysiwyg":{"content":"When some people picture the future of renewable energy, they imagine solar rooftops in California, wind farms off the coast of New England or electric vehicle charging stations in New York. But the most impressive clean energy producer in the country isn\u2019t on the coast; it's in the heart of the Great Plains.<\/span>\r\n

Renewables in the heart of America<\/b><\/h3>\r\nSouth Dakota, better known for cattle ranches, cornfields and the granite faces of Mount Rushmore, is now generating a higher percentage of its electricity from renewable sources than any other state in the nation.<\/span>\r\n

According to Environment America\u2019s 2024 State of Renewables Report<\/a>, South Dakota generated enough renewable energy to cover 92% of all the electricity sold<\/a> in the state, with wind power being the main source.<\/p>\r\nThis wasn\u2019t the result of climate change policies or a big city initiative. It happened in a rural state, driven by simple geography and practicality.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n

South Dakota: A natural fit for clean power<\/b><\/h3>\r\nSouth Dakota\u2019s renewable transformation didn\u2019t happen by accident. It\u2019s rooted in the land itself.<\/span>\r\n\r\nWind power alone<\/span> generates more than half of South Dakota\u2019s electricity<\/span><\/a>. The state\u2019s flat terrain, steady winds and open landscapes make it one of the most effective regions in the country for reliable and consistent wind. Wind energy helps South Dakota avoid<\/span> more than 10 million metric tons of carbon emissions<\/span><\/a> every year, the equivalent of<\/span> taking 2.2 million cars off the road<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\r\n\r\nSince 2019, wind generation in South Dakota has<\/span> more than quadrupled<\/span><\/a>. Today, South Dakota\u2019s<\/span> 29 wind projects<\/span><\/a> produce enough electricity to<\/span> power more than 2 million homes<\/span><\/a>, far more than the<\/span> roughly 360,000 in the state<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nAlongside wind, South Dakota relies on hydroelectric power, mainly major dams on the Missouri River, which accounted for<\/span> 21% of the state's power in 2023<\/span><\/a>. However, hydropower comes with trade-offs, for instance, after the Missouri was dammed populations of cottonwood trees along the river plummeted, reducing nesting areas for birds and valuable habitat for countless species. <\/span>\r\n\r\nWhile we generally oppose hydropower, and wish to see a day when rivers like the Missouri can flow freely once again, hydropower still remains an important source of power for many communities. And while it\u2019s not as environmentally safe as wind and solar it\u2019s far from as harmful as pollutive fossil fuels.<\/span>\r\n\r\nSolar is still a small player in South Dakota energy, but it seems to be growing. <\/span>The state generated just 4 gigawatt hours<\/span><\/a> (GWh) of solar power in 2022, but thanks to improving technology, falling prices and the solar market coming to scale, in 2024, that number<\/span> had grown nearly 100 fold to 346 GWh.<\/span><\/a> That's <\/span>roughly enough energy to<\/span> power 35,000 average U.S. homes<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nSouth Dakota\u2019s renewable energy success offers a blueprint for other states. By utilizing their own unique geography, climate and open land, other states can also take advantage of their inherent strengths while maintaining a diverse and robust energy grid.<\/span>\r\n

Renewable energy benefits rural communities\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\r\nFor South Dakota and other rural states, renewable energy offers independence and community resilience.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nTraditionally, rural communities have had less control over their power than most. Electricity is often generated hundreds of miles away, and<\/span> prices are dictated by markets or companies far removed from the people actually using the power<\/span><\/a>. With renewable energy, especially wind and solar, that\u2019s beginning to shift.<\/span>\r\n\r\nWhen a local farmer leases part of their land for a wind turbine, that farm becomes a power producer. When a rural landowner installs solar arrays, the community gains a measure of control over its own energy supply. When we allow battery energy storage to be built near where we live, we can store some of that renewable energy for later. And when energy is harnessed close to where it\u2019s used, less is lost in transmission, and more of the benefits stay local.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThat kind of autonomy appeals to landowners. Renewable energy offers communities a way to meet their needs without waiting on outside actors, be it a distant utility or far-away supplier. Renewable energy provides stability during price spikes and control over their own community\u2019s resources.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThat stability also creates opportunity. Environment America and the state environmental groups in our network support renewable energy because it's good for the environment. That's our mission. In South Dakota, as well as other states, many people have also embraced renewable energy because it supports local economies and jobs.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nIn South Dakota,<\/span> clean power generates more than 2,700 jobs<\/span><\/a>, that includes construction crews, electrical workers, engineers, land surveyors, repair people and more. Besides cheaper energy and job opportunity, local economies also<\/span> benefit from tax credits<\/span><\/a> and new infrastructure, all while building a cleaner, more self-reliant future.<\/span>\r\n\r\nRenewable energy can also help<\/span> communities remain resilient and functional in times of crisis<\/span><\/a>, and as extreme weather grows more frequent, that kind of dependability is becoming essential. Pair wind and solar with modern battery storage, and rural communities don\u2019t just weather storms, they thrive. Local hospitals, farms and families can stay powered even when the greater regional grid fails, and these batteries continue to get better --<\/span> holding more power, becoming cheaper to produce<\/span><\/a> and making renewable energy more efficient and rewarding than ever.<\/span>","":null}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_large_image","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_large_image":{"width":"narrow","image":55467,"caption_override":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Beyond South Dakota: A rural energy revolution<\/b><\/h3>\r\nSouth Dakota might be an impressive standout, but it\u2019s far from the only state that's getting energy from its abundant renewable resources. The U.S. produced more than<\/span> three times as much solar, wind and geothermal power in 2024 than in 2015<\/span><\/a>, with growth in every single state.<\/span>\r\n\r\nAcross the country,<\/span> other rural states are emerging as leaders in renewable energy<\/span><\/a>. In 2024:\u00a0<\/span>\r\n