For the first time in history, electricity generation from renewable sources such as wind and solar has surpassed coal in the United States. According to the report “US Electricity 2025” by Ember, based on data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, combined wind and solar energy generation reached a record 17% in 2024 (757 TWh), surpassing coal, which dropped to a historic low of 15% (653 TWh).
The growth of solar energy was particularly remarkable, with a 27% increase in 2024, while wind generation grew by 7%. In contrast, electricity produced by coal decreased by 3.3%. This trend reflects a drastic change from 2018 when coal generation was three times higher than that of renewable energies combined.
Since its peak in 2007, electricity generation from coal has dropped by more than two-thirds (-68%), being displaced by natural gas, wind, and solar energy. During this period, electricity generation from gas doubled (+968 TWh), while wind and solar multiplied by twenty (+722 TWh). In contrast, coal generated 1,364 TWh of electricity.
This decline has accelerated in recent years. In 2018, coal represented three times more electricity than the combination of wind and solar; however, its generation has dropped by 43% since then, while renewables have doubled.
Gas and renewables meet the growing demand
The Ember report highlights that, in 2024, electricity generation from gas increased by 3.3% (+59 TWh), reaching a record share of 43%. However, unlike the previous decade, demand growth was the main driver of the increase in generation, with 85% of the new supply meeting the growing demand and only 15% replacing the decrease in coal.
States like California and Nevada achieved a solar share of over 30% in their energy mix for the first time. Nationally, solar energy accounted for 81% of new capacity additions, with a record growth of 31 GW, supported by a 10 GW increase in battery storage.
However, solar energy development was not uniform. In 2024, 28 states generated less than 5% of their electricity from solar, indicating untapped potential.
A transition driven by profitability
Despite political rhetoric against renewable energies, the abandonment of coal in the U.S. was mainly due to economic reasons. Wind and solar energy significantly reduced their costs, becoming the most cost-effective options in many states like Kansas, Iowa, and South Dakota.
Moreover, state policies accelerated the transition. Laws like the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act of Illinois and the Energy Transition Act of New Mexico drove the closure of coal plants. Additionally, numerous states adopted renewable energy and clean energy standards, which, along with incentives and tax credits, facilitated the boom in wind and solar generation in the United States.
Wind energy.
Why is coal being phased out?
One of the main reasons why coal began to be phased out as a fuel is its negative impact on the environment, exacerbating the climate crisis through carbon released during combustion of this fuel, and the methane produced by mining activities in the sector.
In this regard, the increase in carbon dioxide can also lead to acid rain that, when reaching lakes and streams, could harmfully alter their pH levels for wildlife.
However, its consequences are not only felt by the environment but also by humans, who suffer from the impacts of coal extraction, preparation, storage, and transportation, affecting public health.
Source: Renewable Energies.
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