Despite Headwinds, Renewables Roaring. And No, Coal is Not Coming Back

Ember:

Since coal’s nationwide peak in 2007, wind and solar have surpassed it in 24 states– and the pace is accelerating. Half made the switch in just the last six years, with Illinois the latest to cross over in 2024, following Arizona, Colorado, Florida and Maryland in 2023.

In many of these 24 states, the rise of wind and solar has been substantial — 12 now generate over a quarter of their electricity from them. In Kansas, Iowa, New Mexico, South Dakota and Colorado, wind and solar combined have become the state’s largest source of generation.
Meanwhile, 8 of the 24 states have a wind and solar share below 10% in their electricity mix, with gas playing a key role in their transition away from coal. In Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Florida, coal generation declined mainly due to a shift from coal to gas. As a result, even a small rise in wind and solar was sufficient to surpass coal generation.
The shift away from coal has been primarily driven by market dynamics and
availability of more cost-effective resources. The unit costs of wind and solar have reduced significantly and their quick installation makes them commercially attractive.
In states like Kansas, Iowa and South Dakota, strong wind potential made wind the cheapest form of generation. In states like Texas and Florida, cheap gas also played a role. Some states have taken a more aggressive policy-driven approach to phase out coal.
Both Illinois’ 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act and New Mexico’s 2019 Energy Transition Act directly mandated the retirement of coal power plants.

Vox:

The world is still in the early stages of this revolution as market forces become the driver rather than environmental worries. In some US markets, installing new renewable energy is cheaper than running existing coal plants. Last year, the US produced more electricity from wind and solar power than from coal for the first time. 

If these energy trends persist, the US economy will see its greenhouse gas emissions diminish faster, reducing its contribution to climate change. The US needs to effectively zero out its carbon dioxide emissions by the middle of the century in order to keep the worst damages of climate change in check. 

Now, just a few months into Trump’s second presidency, it’s still an open question just how fragile the country’s progress on clean energy and climate will be. But the data is clear: There is tremendous potential for economic growth and environmental benefits if the country makes the right moves at this key inflection point.