In Wyoming, over the past year from September 2024 to August 2025, electricity consumption has been dominated by fossil energy. More than half of the electricity, about 72%, comes from fossil sources like coal and gas, with coal alone accounting for around 59% of electricity generation. Low-carbon energy sources, however, are making significant inroads. These clean energy sources contribute 28% of Wyoming's electricity, with wind energy leading the way at almost 25%. Hydropower and solar power are relatively small players, each contributing a bit less than 2%. Despite the prevalence of fossil energy, the presence of wind energy as a substantial share of the electricity mix reflects Wyoming's gradual shift towards more sustainable energy sources.
Data sources used on this page include EIA. More about data sources →
Is Electricity Growing in Wyoming?
Assessing the growth of electricity consumption in Wyoming reveals some trends that raise concern. In 2025, electricity consumption per person reached 75,135 kWh, which is significantly less than the record consumption of 90,081 kWh per person in 2013. This decline marks a considerable decrease of nearly 15,000 kWh per person. However, there's a silver lining when it comes to low-carbon electricity. The latest generation, at 21,111 kWh per person, represents a positive change from the previous record of 18,444 kWh per person set in 2022. This increase of about 2,668 kWh per person highlights Wyoming's ongoing efforts to adopt cleaner energy sources, providing a glimmer of hope for the state's energy future while overall electricity growth remains stagnant.
Suggestions
To bolster the share of low-carbon electricity, Wyoming should focus on expanding wind energy, already a strong contributor to its clean energy portfolio. Learning from successful regions like Iowa and South Dakota, which generate 60% and 56% of their electricity, respectively, from wind, could guide Wyoming's efforts. Alongside wind, investing in nuclear energy is crucial, as evidenced by regions such as France and New Hampshire, where nuclear power provides more than half of their electricity. Additionally, states like Nevada and California, which have embraced solar power generating 33% and 29% of their electricity from solar respectively, could serve as inspirations for enhancing solar energy deployment in Wyoming.
History
Looking back, Wyoming's development in low-carbon electricity has been mostly shaped by wind energy. During the late 2000s and early 2010s, wind electricity generation saw significant growth, notably in 2009 and 2011, contributing 1.3 and 1.4 TWh respectively, with smaller contributions from hydropower. However, there were setbacks, such as slight declines in 2012 and 2015. Recent years have seen promising progress. In 2021, wind energy had a record-breaking increase of 2.9 TWh, though this was followed by a decline in 2023. Fortunately, 2025 witnessed a robust resurgence with a 2 TWh increase, which solidifies Wyoming's trajectory towards enhancing wind energy's role in its electricity mix, despite some historical challenges. Efforts to diversify its energy portfolio by embracing nuclear and solar technologies will further fortify Wyoming’s clean energy landscape.
