Over the past year, Indiana's electricity consumption has been predominantly reliant on fossil fuels, accounting for approximately 80% of the total energy mix. Coal remains a significant player, contributing to a little over 40% of the electricity, while natural gas supplies slightly above a third of the state's needs. In contrast, low-carbon sources like wind and solar energy comprise around 16% of the mix. Wind energy provides almost 9%, while solar energy represents nearly 7%, with utility-scale solar making up most of this. Net imports make up a minor fraction, at just over 3%. These numbers signify a critical need for Indiana to transition more rapidly towards low-carbon energy sources to combat climate change and its consequential challenges.

Is Electricity Growing in Indiana?

Electricity consumption per person in Indiana has seen a slight increase. In 2026, consumption reached 16,475 kWh per person, which reflects a minor growth over the previous record in 2025 when the figure stood at 16,369 kWh per person. This marks a modest increase of 106 kWh per person. Notably, low-carbon electricity generation also experienced growth, reaching 2,703 kWh per person, compared to 2,588 kWh the previous year—an increase of 114 kWh per person. This growth, albeit incremental, is an encouraging step towards clean energy adoption, yet still falls short of what's necessary to drastically reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

Suggestions

To bolster low-carbon electricity generation, Indiana could draw valuable lessons from regions that have successfully tapped into these resources. For example, nearby states like Iowa and South Dakota generate over half of their electricity from wind power, proving its viability in similar geographic conditions. Additionally, states like Illinois and South Carolina have embraced nuclear power, deriving more than half their electricity from this clean source. Learning from their successful integration of nuclear and wind, Indiana can significantly expand its low-carbon footprint by investing in both nuclear and solar energy, thus accelerating its transition to a more sustainable electricity mix and reducing the detrimental impacts associated with fossil fuels.

History

Looking back, Indiana's history with low-carbon energy reveals some positive steps, particularly with wind power. In 2024, wind energy saw a notable increase, contributing an additional 1.5 TWh compared to the previous year. By 2025, however, growth in wind energy plateaued, yet it did manage a slight increase of 0.1 TWh in 2026. Hydropower and biofuels, however, have remained stagnant or experienced minimal decline over the past few years. Despite these modest accomplishments, Indiana's progress in expanding its low-carbon portfolio has been slow and requires a strategic push towards leveraging the proven successes of other regions to facilitate a robust shift towards cleaner electricity sources.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

* 12M = Last 12 months (Apr 2025 – Mar 2026) — a rolling 12-month period, not a calendar year.