For the first time in U.S. history, wind and solar generated more electricity than coal during the first 11 months of 2024. The two renewable energy sources provided 17 percent of U.S. electricity from January to November while coal contributed 15 percent. At the beginning of the 21st century, coal accounted for 51 percent of electricity generation, which dropped to 16 percent by 2023. Currently, 10 states have generated more than half of their electricity from renewable sources with plans for five of the nation’s 10 largest coal plants to close in the next decade. Worldwide, one third of energy is still produced by coal. Read more here.