Over the past year, from June 2024 to May 2025, Idaho's electricity consumption shows a significant portion of its electricity comes from clean energy sources, with low-carbon electricity making up nearly half at about 48%. Hydropower dominates the clean energy segment by contributing a bit more than 30%, followed by wind at about 11%, solar constituting roughly 5%, and biofuels adding about 2%. On the other hand, fossil energy sources, specifically natural gas, cover nearly 19% of Idaho’s electricity needs. Notably, net imports form a considerable part of the energy mix at around 33%. The reliance on low-carbon sources is a positive sign, yet there's room for growth to further reduce dependency on fossil energy and imports.
Is Electricity Growing in Idaho?
When comparing the current electricity consumption to previous records, Idaho's electricity usage, standing at 13,734 kWh per person in 2025, reflects a drop compared to the historical high of 16,614 kWh per person back in 2007. This represents a decline of nearly 3,000 kWh per person, illustrating that electricity use has not grown but rather decreased over the years. Similarly, the low-carbon generation in Idaho has seen a decline, with current figures showing 6,522 kWh per person, which is over 3,000 kWh less than the record set in 2011. This downturn in both overall and low-carbon electricity generation is concerning, given the pressing need for sustainable electricity to support ongoing and future electrification efforts.
Suggestions
To boost low-carbon electricity generation, Idaho can significantly expand its existing wind energy infrastructure, given its proven track record of generating substantial amounts of electricity. Learning from successful regions, Idaho could emulate states like Iowa and South Dakota, where wind energy contributes more than 60% of electricity generation. Furthermore, considering the potential of integrating nuclear energy as illustrated by France and Slovakia, where nuclear power constitutes a substantial portion of the electricity mix, Idaho could explore developing this robust and reliable source of clean energy. Additionally, investing in solar infrastructure, much like the efforts seen in countries like Greece and states such as Nevada and California, could further bolster Idaho's clean energy capacity.
History
The history of Idaho's low-carbon electricity highlights fluctuating trends, particularly within hydropower and wind energy. In the mid-2000s, Idaho experienced significant hydropower growth, such as a notable increase of 2.7 TWh in 2006, followed by some declines like the sharp drop of 2.5 TWh in 2012. Wind energy saw a rise, particularly in 2011 with an addition of 0.9 TWh. The past decade has been marked by relatively stable yet modest increases in clean energy, with small additions from solar starting more recently, reflecting emerging diversification in the energy sources. However, these inconsistencies highlight the need for a stable and strategic plan to sustain and grow Idaho’s clean electricity capacity, steering away from volatile fossil fuel reliance toward a robust low-carbon future.