Wind and solar generation eclipsed coal throughout 2024, marking the first time renewable power outperformed coal for a full year.
But carbon emissions from electricity still climbed. That’s because natural gas also set record levels of generation last year. The burst of new gas pushed up greenhouse gases, offsetting modest carbon declines from coal and establishing gas as the leading source of climate pollution in the power industry — another first.
The twin developments highlight the diverging trends in America’s electricity landscape. Renewables have never been more important to the country’s grid, accounting for almost 16 percent of power generation last year. But gas is growing at an even faster clip, reflecting what many businesses see as its importance in meeting rising electricity demand from data centers.
The trend comes as President Donald Trump scraps pollution regulations and pledges to roll back clean energy subsidies. The shift raises questions about the potential for future emissions cuts from power plants, which have slashed climate pollution at a faster rate than any other sector of the U.S. economy.
