Energy Technical Potential
The energy technical potential of a technology is its achievable energy generation given system performance, topographic, environmental, and land-use constraints.
The benefit of assessing technical potential is that it establishes an upper-boundary estimate of development potential. There are multiple types of potential—resource, technical, economic, and market—as shown in the graphic with key assumptions.
Technical Potential Resources
This report provides technical potential estimates for six energy technologies.
U.S. Renewable Energy Technical Potentials: A GIS-Based Analysis, NLR Technical Report (2012)
Maps for multiple energy technologies are available in this PowerPoint file.
Data by state for energy technical potential are summarized in this spreadsheet, which includes sources and references.
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Last Updated March 11, 2026