Renew Nebraska is a nonpartisan coalition of Nebraskans who support energy innovation. Many of Renew Nebraska’s coalition members are respected leaders including Mayors, City Administrators, City Council Members, business leaders, and civic leaders in communities across the state.
Renew Nebraska also serves as a hub of information about energy innovation in Nebraska, increasing accessibility to high quality and up-to-date information and connecting Nebraskans with experts in energy related fields.
Nebraska has the potential to be a national leader in clean energy due to several factors. Our position in the rain shadow of the Rockies provides abundant sunshine, especially in the Western part of the state, that powers our agricultural economy. Meanwhile, our position in the Great Plains means winds face few obstructions as they move across the state. In both cases, this relative abundance means renewable energy built in Nebraska will be more effective, producing more electricity and revenue and therefore have a greater positive impact, than most other states in the country. In fact, we rank 4th in wind energy generation potential and 10th in rural utility-scale solar potential, but we are not even close to taking full advantage of our potential. As of late 2023, Nebraska is ranked 12th in the nation for installed wind, and as of late 2024, Nebraska was ranked 47th for installed solar.
If you’re looking for an example of what Nebraska could look like if we took advantage of our natural energy resources, look no further than our neighbor to the east, Iowa. As of early 2024, Iowa ranked 3rd in the nation for installed wind. According to the Iowa Environmental Council (IEC), in 2022 Iowa was generating 57% of their energy using wind power. In addition to being a primary source of electricity generation, wind energy has brought in thousands of jobs, billions in capital investment, and millions in local tax revenue.
