Chart: Wind and solar overtook coal on the US grid in 2024

Canary Media’s chart of the week translates crucial data about the clean energy transition into a visual format. Canary thanks Clean Energy Counsel for its support of the column.

In a first for the country, solar and wind generated more electricity than coal over most of 2024. The two renewable energy sources provided a record 17 percent of U.S. electricity from January to November, while coal contributed 15 percent, according to data from think tank Ember.

Coal power is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector, but it’s been in decline in the U.S. for more than two decades as both fossil gas and renewables have surged. At the start of the 21^st century, coal accounted for 51 percent of electricity generation in the country. By 2023, it had dropped to 16 percent. 

Across the U.S., 10 states currently generate half or more of their electricity supply from renewables, with Iowa and South Dakota leading thanks to abundant wind power. In Texas, solar generated more electricity than coal for the first time in March. 

Coal power is also declining in Europe. In the first six months of this year, the European Union generated more electricity from solar and wind than from coal and gas combined. In the United Kingdom, coal is completely gone from the grid — the country shuttered its last coal-fired power plant in September.

Worldwide, coal’s share of electricity generation has also fallen over the last decade. But coal still remains the largest source of electricity generation globally — it produced more than a third of electricity worldwide in 2023. And the world is still burning through more tons of coal than ever across all use cases, which include processes like steelmaking.

In the U.S., five of the nation’s 10 largest coal plants have planned closure dates between 2028 and 2038, Inside Climate News reports. But another 8 gigawatts worth of coal plants that don’t have planned shutdown dates will be at least 60 years old by the end of the decade. Experts expect those coal plants to be shuttered by 2040, but that’s not soon enough to meet global climate goals.

Clean Energy Counsel is the only mission-driven law firm exclusively focused on renewable energy and clean technologies. From early-stage venture investment, offtake, site control, equipment supply, and EPC contracting, through project acquisitions, debt, and tax equity, we counsel clients through every stage of the project life cycle. Visit our website to explore how we can work together toward a sustainable future.