The U.S. electric grid is dangerously dependent on fossil fuels — but the century-long reign of the country’s dirtiest power source may be ending.
In the first half of this year, wind and solar generated more power than coal in the U.S., per data from Ember. Wind and solar produced 343 terawatt-hours (TWh) total between January and June 2023, while coal produced 296 TWh over the same period. Just five years ago, coal’s share of power generation was quadruple that of wind and solar combined.
