Arkansas Advanced Energy Releases Inaugural State of the Industry Report 2026
The Arkansas Advanced Energy Association (AAEA) and Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation (AAEF) have released the 2026 Arkansas Advanced Energy State of the Industry Report, the first of its kind for the organization.
“Our goal is to provide a credible, accessible resource that brings together key data, trends, and context about Arkansas’s energy landscape so that those responsible for making decisions – and those impacted by them – have the information they need. This report is intended to contribute to that effort.”
Compiling research from national sources such as the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the report identifies five key themes shaping Arkansas’s energy future: a growing supply-demand tension; large loads, electrification, and data centers; solar dominates new capacity; advanced energy as economic strategy, and policy realignment.
Advanced energy in Arkansas includes electricity generation (solar, wind, nuclear, natural gas, bioenergy), energy efficiency, grid modernization, storage, distributed energy resources, electrification technologies, and the workforce and supply chains that support them. It spans rural and urban communities, agriculture and manufacturing, utilities, and entrepreneurs. In 2024, the state’s two investor-owned utilities released Integrated Resource Plans projecting near-term generation shortfalls. Over the past three years, projected U.S. five-year peak load growth increased from 24 GW to 166 GW. The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), which serves most of Arkansas, projects significant summer peak growth through 2030. Demand is rising faster than infrastructure can be built.
“The industry report is part of a broader commitment by Arkansas Advanced Energy to help drive an informed, solutions-oriented conversation about our state’s energy future,” Waldrip said.
AAE has made the report free and available to the public in AAE’s online resource library. Also within the resource library, Arkansans can find the new Arkansas Energy Map, a tool to visualize utility, RTO, and legislative boundaries; the “Know Your Power” 101 energy series, educational videos, and more. To complement these efforts, AAE also announced the launch of Arkansas Energy Week this April, an awareness campaign to educate and inspire Arkansans about the energy sector.
AAEA and AAEF represent businesses, investors, and stakeholders working to modernize Arkansas’s energy system while strengthening economic competitiveness. For more information about Arkansas Advanced Energy, please visit www.arkansasadvancedenergy.com.
