New Study Claims Wyoming Is One of the Least Energy-Efficient States

October is "National Energy Awareness Month" and in the spirit of awareness, personal finance website, WalletHub, released a list or 2023's Most & Least Energy-Efficient States.

According to the study the study that was released today (Tuesday, October 17th, 2023), Wyoming did not rank the best. That being said, we weren't the worst either, but we were definitely near the bottom of the list. Overall, the Cowboy State ranked 38th out of the forty-eight states that listed (because if a lack of data, Alaska and Hawaii were excluded from the study).

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The WalletHub study stated:

Energy is expensive. In fact, it’s one of the biggest household expenses for American consumers. The average U.S. family spends at least $2,000 per year on utilities, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, with heating and cooling of spaces alone accounting for more than half the bill. In 2022, the average consumer spent another $3,120 on motor fuel and oil.

The Department of Energy estimates that adopting energy-efficient measures in the home could reduce a family’s utility costs by as much as 25 percent. It pays to conserve, especially during a time of increasingly warmer temperatures. As for transportation, the agency found that a more fuel-efficient vehicle could save the average driver about $950 per year.

Wyoming's overall rating came from two major key factors:

• Home Energy Efficiency - 21st
• Auto Energy Efficiency - 48th

As you can see from the ranking, our home energy efficiency was actually pretty good, but our poor scoring on auto energy efficiency caused our average percentage to dip significantly.

The study went on to state that "the U.S. Energy Information Administration expects 16% of electricity generation in 2023 will come from solar and wind power", which may effect these number in Wyoming over the course of the next year.