Last year, the United States spent nearly $248 billion on clean energy, more than triple the amount spent just five years ago. Additionally, $147 billion in new investment has already been made through the first half of 2024, according to research group Climate Central.
In Nevada and Colorado, the driving force is automakers producing electric vehicles and people buying EVs. In Utah and Idaho, solar power is leading the way, from developers building large solar farms to homeowners adding panels. And in Wyoming and New Mexico, clean energy spending is funded by wind projects.
These six Mountain West states have invested a total of approximately $70 billion in clean energy technology, led by Nevada ($25 billion) and Colorado ($19 billion).
“We talk a lot about climate change and its impacts, but we also don’t talk about what people are doing,” said Jen Brady, senior data analyst at Climate Central, which produced the report. It’s important.” “These clean investments are the main way we solve the climate crisis.”
But Brady said temperatures will continue to rise as long as fossil fuels are burned. In fact, this summer was the hottest season on record on Earth, according to NASA.
A warming climate is putting more people at risk of extreme weather events, from devastating wildfires in the West to deadly hurricanes in the South, she added.
This article was produced in collaboration with Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio, Idaho, KUNR of Nevada, KUNC of Colorado, and KANW of New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region, Mountain West Produced by the News Bureau. . Mountain West News Bureau funding is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
