NEW DATA: PA ranks 49th in U.S. for renewable energy growth

PHILADELPHIA – Pennsylvania ranks 49th in the nation for percentage growth in total solar, wind and geothermal generation over the past decade, according to new data released on Wednesday by PennEnvironment. The State of Renewable Energy 2025 documents the growth of six key clean energy technologies across the United States over the past decade and ranks states accordingly for solar power, wind power, battery storage, energy efficiency, electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging stations. 

The analysis comes as electric prices are set to rise for millions of Pennsylvanians due to delays from the regional grid operator, PJM, in connecting hundreds of clean energy products to the grid. Proposed projects could deliver enough energy to power 58 million homes in the U.S. The ensuing bottleneck is expected to cost ratepayers $12.5 billion to power their homes and businesses–in one year alone. 

“Pennsylvania continues to miss out on the renewable energy growth happening nationwide, but it doesn’t have to be that way,” said Ellie Kerns, Climate and Clean Energy Advocate with PennEnvironment. “The Keystone State has vast renewable energy potential. State legislators can make sure we tap it by passing Governor Shapiro’s energy plan, referred to as the “Lightning Plan.”

Pennsylvania’s rate of growth in clean energy adoption has fallen well behind the national pace, with only Washington State and Alaska ranking lower. The amount of renewable energy brought online in the state since 2015 would power fewer than 4% of the homes in Pennsylvania.

Despite lagging behind in total renewable generation, The State of Renewable Energy shows some positive signs for the Keystone State. In 2024, Pennsylvania installed more than twice as much solar as it ever had in any previous year. Solar in Pennsylvania now produces enough electricity to power approximately 200,000 homes. At the same time, Pennsylvania generates almost four times the amount of energy from the sun compared to five years ago in 2019, putting it in the middle of the pack (26th) behind neighboring states like New York (9th), New Jersey (13th), Maryland (23rd) and even Ohio (16th).

Pennsylvania saw a more than 4,000% jump since 2014 in the number of electric vehicles registered in the state, ranking the commonwealth 14th in the nation for EV registrations. Pennsylvania now boasts more than 5,000 EV chargers – ranking 10th in the nation.

To accelerate Pennsylvania’s renewable energy growth, PennEnvironment is calling on the General Assembly to pass Gov. Shapiro’s Lightning Plan, a six part clean energy legislative package. PRESS would require utility companies supplying electricity in Pennsylvania to get 35% of their power from renewable energy sources like wind and solar by 2035, and RESET which would streamline the process for energy projects like wind and solar to come online faster in order to help deliver more clean energy. 

The other pieces of legislation include creating a community energy program, creating a “polluter pays” program, improving Pennsylvania’s cornerstone energy conservation law – Act 129, and creating tax breaks for renewable energy projects.

Implementing these policies at the state level will complement the benefits available to Pennsylvanians in the 2022 federal Inflation Reduction Act, such as tax credits for renewable energy and for the purchase of new and used electric vehicles through 2032. 

“Our State of Renewable Energy 2025 report offers a timely reminder that Pennsylvania has an immense, largely untapped opportunity when it comes to clean energy,” Kerns said. “Pennsylvanians are already reaping the benefits of the progress we’ve made so far, and there is so much more we can do to usher in the clean, renewable energy future we need, starting with passing Governor Shapiro’s recently unveiled energy plan.”