The results are in. Washington tops the leaderboard as the most energy-efficient state with South Carolina bringing up the rear.
What are the state energy efficiency rankings?
WalletHub, a personal finance company, put together the list to showcase the impact of doing more with less energy. It ranked states in both home and auto energy efficiency, and then it generated a combined score.
Home energy efficiency was based on residential energy consumption per capita and accounted for climate challenges by using annual degree days. Auto energy efficiency looked at both fuel efficiency and the number of miles per capita for which residents relied on vehicles.
Due to insufficient data, Hawai'i and Alaska were not part of the analysis.
After tallying the results, there was a clear top three, with Washington eking out a win over New York and California in third. On the other side of the spectrum, South Carolina was clearly last with Alabama, West Virginia, and Mississippi in a pack near the bottom.
Why is states' energy efficiency important?
The negative impact of the warming of the planet is increasingly becoming impossible to ignore. This year has featured a number of devastating extreme weather events, such as Hurricane Helene. There is strong evidence linking our reliance on dirty energy to higher ocean temperatures that exacerbate storms.
Consumers can boost energy efficiency by weatherizing their homes or updating to green tech, including heat pumps, batteries, induction stoves, solar panels, and electric vehicles — all of which can save money and lower individual carbon footprints.
How does this data help illuminate energy efficiency solutions?
WalletHub highlighted the reasons that the states on the energy-efficiency podium are there, with lessons for other states to take note of.
For Washington, the top factor was minimal usage of home energy, even despite cold winters. That isn't coincidental. The Evergreen State has been at the forefront of energy efficiency since the 2019 Clean Buildings Act. Residents also drive at the third-lowest rate in the nation.
Unsurprisingly, New Yorkers' usage of public transportation allows them to drive the least of any state's citizens. Top 10 ranks in energy consumption per capita and home energy efficiency also play a role. Last year, the state banned natural gas furnaces and stoves in most new buildings.
California, meanwhile, has the lowest residential energy consumption per capita. It has also set records for renewable energy usage and is strong in other metrics, including vehicles driven per capita and vehicle fuel efficiency.
The rankings illuminate to residents where their states stack up, which can spur improvements individually and collectively. It's important to ask questions such as Does my state have adequate public transportation options? or Is my state properly incentivizing green tech when it comes to EVs and residential investments?
No one person can reshape these rankings, but greater awareness helps spur action in ways that will be critical to addressing our environmental challenges.
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