Coal-fired power plants are a sinking ship, despite the Trump Administration’s “best” efforts to bail them out.

In 2019, American coal plants shut down at the second-fastest pace on record, trailing only 2015, when then-President Obama’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions were reaching their peak. In contrast, Trump has attempted a series of policy moves to shore up the dirtiest of the fossil fuels.

Despite those efforts, coal continues to lose ground to less expensive renewables (solar and wind) and natural gas. Public concern about climate change continues to drive state-level incentives for clean energy production even while Trump appointees seek to end those incentives at the national level. For example, 2019 was the first year renewables produced more energy in Texas than did coal. Wind is Texas’ biggest renewable generation source, followed by the rapidly-growing solar.

Our children’s future depends on continuing and accelerating this trend of replacing energy from dirty fossil sources with clean, renewable energy. Let your legislators know you want to see not just some but all of our energy come from renewables by 2050!