A new report from Environment Montana Research & Policy Center claims that Montana is falling behind the rest of the nation on clean energy. The report, “Renewables on the Rise: A Decade of Progress Positions America for a 100% Renewable Future,” provides a state-by-state assessment of the growth of key technologies needed to power the nation with renewables, including wind, solar, energy storage, energy efficiency, and electric vehicles.
A new report finds that Montana is falling behind in clean-energy progress compared to many other states. For an interactive version of this chart, please click here.
According to the research, wind grew by less than four-fold compared to a nearly five-fold increase nationally, and solar grew by less than 13-fold in Montana compared to nearly 40-fold nationally. Overall, Montana ranks 23rd for wind and 43rd for solar.
“We’re falling behind and missing huge opportunities to transition Montana’s economy to a cleaner, healthier future powered by renewable energy,” says Skye Borden from the Environment Montana Research & Policy Center. “But the progress that our neighboring states have made in the last decade, especially on wind, should give Montanans confidence that we can take clean energy to the next level.”
The report states tat North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Idaho all rank among the top 20 states in the nation for growth in wind development, and all four states currently outproduce Montana in wind generation.
“If we continue to focus our efforts on unleashing Montana’s vast renewable energy potential, we, too, can see the jobs and economics benefits that our neighbors are already enjoying,” adds Brian Fadie, the clean-energy program director of Montana Environmental Information Center.
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