22 states have ditched coal as their main source of power

Here’s a look at the states that have shifted away from coal

What you probably already know: Many states have worked to move away from coal as the main source of electricity, work that’s been going on for years. But this week, the New York Times took a look at how that shift is going, and the results might surprise you. Five states that had coal as their main source of energy in 2001 are now sourcing the majority of their power from wind turbines. Many other states have shifted to natural gas. Coal has fallen from being the dominate source of fuel in 32 states, down to just 10.

Why? Fossil fuels still generate the majority of the country’s electricity, the report found, but these shifts to natural gas and wind power have significantly reduced pollution over the years. Climate experts say that switching from coal to gas helps because it results in fewer carbon emissions, but isn’t a perfect solution. President Joe Biden has set a goal to get the country to a point where there are zero emissions from the power grid, so there’s still a ways to go.

What it means: There’s an enormous range across the U.S. when it comes to state-by-state power supplies, which means it will require a patchwork of regulations and initiatives to clean up the country’s grid. Washington state, for example, gets 60% of its power from hydroelectric sources, which it has for decades. The state even exports power to Canada and other Western states. Virginia, on the other hand, went from coal, to nuclear to natural gas as the dominant fuel source and the state has focused on closing old fossil fuel plants to cut back on emissions. Vermont went from predominantly nuclear to mostly hydropower in that same period after the closure of its only nuclear plant in 2014.

What happens now? Solar power is among the fastest-growing energy sources, particularly in the sun belt, though it still doesn’t account for the majority of power in any state. Hawaii, for example, gets 19% of its power from solar, up from zero in 2012. Solar is up to 7% in Florida, 9% in Colorado and a staggering 28% in California. The report suggests additional work is needed to build better power capturing systems like massive batteries because renewable energy sources are inconsistent. Solar only works when it’s sunny, wind turbines only spin when it’s windy.

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