Fact: The electric grid is getting cleaner every day

For decades, electricity production in the US was almost entirely generated by burning coal - the dirtiest of the fossil fuels. But now, the grid is much cleaner and getting cleaner every day as old plants are replaced with clean energy technology and new generation is added from renewables.

Coal plants are shutting due to the lower costs of producing electricity with natural gas and renewable sources like wind and solar.  As a result, the national electric grid has become cleaner over the last two decades. 

This trend is continuing as wind and solar costs continue to decline. The majority of new electricity generation growth will come from renewable sources.

Electricity generation will also get cleaner due to mandates by state and federal governments to achieve 100% clean energy. Oregon law for example, now dictates that electricity must be 100% clean by 2040 and 80% clean by 2030.

Wind and solar prices continue to decline and are now the lowest cost source of new electricity generation in the US and the world - cheaper even than many existing coal and gas plants. These cost declines are not showing any signs of ending - in 2021 alone wind costs decreased by 13% and solar costs by 7%. In 2022 the global power sector saved $520B due to renewables.