In this article, we will be studying the renewable energy industry in the United States. We will also be navigating through the current market trends, major players and the top 20 renewable energy companies in the US based on revenue. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis, you can move directly to the Top 5 Renewable Energy Companies in USA by Revenue.
The US Renewable Energy Industry: An Analysis
In 2022, The International Trade Administration reported that the renewable energy industry in the United States is the second largest in the world, following China. The country produces more renewable energy than the United Kingdom, Japan and Germany combined. Renewable energy has penetrated across the US becoming a major part of the national energy mix. By mid-2030, renewable energy is expected to be the leading source of electricity generation in the country.
The renewable energy market is segmented on the basis of the source used to derive energy. The main sources include solar, wind, hydropower, bioenergy, geothermal, and municipal solid waste. In the United States, renewable electricity is produced mainly from the wind. While hydroelectric sources are also consumed for this purpose, solar, biomass, and geothermal contribute in smaller proportions to the overall electricity production.
Clean Energy Trends Shaping the Industrial Landscape
The United States is undergoing a major transition towards cleaner sources of energy and carbon neutrality. The power generation from renewable energy has witnessed a rise with solar and wind power being the most adopted sources. On March 1, Bloomberg NEFreported that the investment in clean energy in the US in 2022 increased to $141 billion, up 11% year over year. Out of the total power generation in the country, renewable energy accounted for 41%. This shift from conventional sources of energy even continued during high inflation and interest rates associated with the commodities in the renewable energy sector throughout 2022.
Experts believe that government support, relevant legislation, federal permits, and reforms will be necessary to capitalize on the emerging clean energy market in the country. Considering the long waiting times which lasts for two to six years for most of the energy infrastructure projects to receive all state approvals, this is a major limitation to the energy transition in the country.
Major Industry Players
The renewable energy market in the United States is quite fragmented. The major players in this market include NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE), Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK), and the Southern Company (NYSE:SO)
Headquartered in Florida, NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) is one of the major generators of renewable energy, from the sun and wind. On July 25, the companyreported strong earnings for the fiscal second quarter of 2023. The company reported earnings per share of $0.88, beating EPS estimates by $0.07. The company’s revenue for the second quarter amounted to $7.35 billion, up 41.79% year over year, ahead of revenue consensus by $1.18 billion.
Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) is a leading electric power and gas holding company in the United States. The company contributes to the trend of adopting sustainable energy sources in the country. The company has recently expanded its solar energy resources in Indiana. On June 22, the company reported that it has partnered with renewable energy developer, Ranger Power, to buy up to 199 megawatts of solar power from the Indiana-based Speedway Solar facility. The company will be buying this energy from the facility under a 20-year power purchase agreement. This project will generate enough energy to power more than 37,000 homes and is expected to be operational by 2025.
Another leading player in the US renewable energy market is the Southern Company (NYSE:SO). Being an energy provider, the company is one of the largest owners of renewables in the United States. The company operates a fleet of solar, wind, and biomass facilities across the U.S. On September 27, the company reported that it has acquired the South Cheyenne Solar Facility which is a 200-megawatt solar project in Colorado. This acquisition enabled the company to expand its renewable energy portfolio.
Thus, NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE), Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK), and the Southern Company (NYSE:SO) continue to transform the state of energy transition in the United States. Let's now take a look at the top 20 renewable energy companies in USA by revenue.
In order to generate a list of the top 20 renewable companies in the United States by revenue, we sourced a comprehensive list of all renewable energy companies from the finviz screener. We screened this list to find the top companies in the industry according to their market capitalizations. Once we had obtained the list of the largest renewable energy companies by market capitalization, we extracted their revenue from Macrotrends. Finally, we picked the renewable energy companies which had the highest revenues from this list. The revenues cited are the annual revenues of the companies in their recent fiscal years.
Finally, we ranked the top 20 renewable energy companies in the US by their revenues. The list has been sorted in ascending order.
Ameren Corporation (NYSE:AEE) is a top renewable energy company in the US by revenue. The company commits to procuring renewable energy for its customers. Ameren Corporation (NYSE:AEE) also plans to add 2,400 megawatts of new clean renewable generation by 2030.
Another leading renewable energy company by revenue in America is CMS Energy Corporation (NYSE:CMS). CMS Energy Corporation (NYSE:CMS) is involved in wholesale power generation which includes contracted renewable energy as well.
Based on revenue, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE:CNP) is another major renewable energy company in the US. CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE:CNP) has also invested in green hydrogen which is produced using wind and solar power.
WEC Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE:WEC) has a high revenue in the US renewable energy industry. WEC Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE:WEC) holds many solar facilities and wind farms in the country to contribute to clean energy.
16. Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated(NYSE:PEG)
Revenue: $9.8 billion
The list of the top US renewable energy companies by revenue also includes Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (NYSE:PEG), which invests in solar and wind facilities in different parts of the country. Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (NYSE:PEG) generated a revenue of $9.8 billion in 2022.
Eversource Energy (NYSE:ES) is well positioned in the renewable energy sector. Eversource Energy (NYSE:ES) also invests in offshore wind projects for electricity generation and is one of the largest firms by revenue in the US renewable energy industry.
FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE:FE) is another top US renewable energy company with a high revenue. FirstEnergy Corp.'s (NYSE:FE) subsidiaries, Mon Power and Potomac Edison are involved in the construction of solar facilities in the country.
Another clean energy company with a high revenue is Entergy Corporation (NYSE:ETR). Entergy Corporation (NYSE:ETR) is primarily engaged in electric power production and strives to integrate more renewable energy into the grid.
NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE), Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) and Southern Company (NYSE:SO) currently dominate the renewable energy market in the US.
The energy sources for electricity generation by Xcel Energy Inc. (NYSE:XEL) include biomass, hydroelectric and nuclear plants, solar panels and wind turbines. Xcel Energy Inc. (NYSE:XEL) is a major player in the clean energy market as it holds a high revenue.
Consolidated Edison, Inc (NYSE:ED) holds a prominent position in the US renewable energy industry and has a high revenue. Consolidated Edison, Inc (NYSE:ED) supports a clean energy infrastructure by connecting offshore wind farms and making it easy for customers to install solar panels.
Another American renewable energy company with a high revenue is Dominion Energy Inc. (NYSE:D). Dominion Energy Inc (NYSE:D) reduces its environmental footprint by utilizing renewable energy sources to supply electricity.
Edison International (NYSE:EIX) also supports the clean energy transition in the US and is one of the top firms in the national clean energy market by revenue. Edison International (NYSE:EIX) is investing in its grids to support three times more clean energy in the future from sources such as new solar, wind and energy storage projects.
Exelon Corporation (NYSE:EXC) is a utility company that provides electricity and gas. The company is another large firm in the US renewable energy market by revenue. Exelon Corporation (NYSE:EXC) has installed onsite solar power at some of its locations and has electrified some of its fleet vehicles.
Investors who wish to seek exposure to the clean energy market can look up NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE), Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) and Southern Company (NYSE:SO).
Another major revenue holder in the US renewable energy sector is DTE Energy Company (NYSE:DTE). The sources utilized by DTE Energy Company (NYSE:DTE) to generate electricity include wind, solar, and hydroelectric.
6. American Electric Power Company, Inc. (NYSE:AEP)
Revenue: $19.6 billion
American Electric Power Company, Inc. (NYSE:AEP) also makes it to our list of the biggest clean energy companies in the US by revenue. American Electric Power Company, Inc. (NYSE:AEP) many wind and solar plants producing enough clean energy to power many homes in the US.