The advantages of using renewable energy just keeps growing! In a recent study conducted by MIT, it was stated that ten states in the Midwest and Great Lakes region of the US could potentially be on the receiving end of close to $5 billion in health benefits in 2030. What is the cause of the additional benefits? Let’s take a deeper look.

Health Benefits and Potential Costs

Health concerns have been on the rise in recent years due to climate change, however as more states shift to renewable energy, the concerns have been reduced. One major change has been the decrease in greenhouse gases that negatively affect air quality. This has resulted in cleaner air, which has greatly improved the respiratory and cardiovascular health for those in the states with high renewable energy usage.

Reaching the $5 Billion Goal

For the states in this region to reach this goal, they will need to produce a certain percentage of their electricity from renewable energy sources. Currently, the mark has been set to 13 percent. However, if the states are able to exceed that number and reach 19.5 percent, they could receive up to $13.5 billion in health benefits in 2030 as opposed to $5.8 billion in costs. These numbers were calculated using a formula combining economic and air pollution models. If the states are able to achieve this goal, it could potentially lead to other states in the US committing to renewable energy, thus continuing the improvement of air quality.

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