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# Today’s Morning News
### Your Daily Cartoon
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### **Renewable Energy Surpasses Coal in Historic Shift for U.S. Power Generation**
In an unprecedented shift within the U.S. energy sector, wind and solar power have outstripped coal in electricity generation through the first seven months of the year, according to recent federal data. This development marks a significant milestone in the ongoing transition towards renewable energy sources.
Historically, coal has dominated U.S. power generation, but its decline has been accelerated by the closure of numerous coal plants and the rapid expansion of wind and solar capacities. In 2023, renewable sources briefly surpassed coal during the spring months, only to fall behind during the high-demand summer period. However, this year, renewables have not only matched but exceeded coal production even through July, suggesting a potential sustained shift.
"The milestone had been long expected due to a steady stream of coal plant retirements and the rapid growth of wind and solar," said Ric O’Connell, head of GridLab, a clean electricity consulting firm. “I think it is an important milestone,” he added, highlighting the significant crossover of solar growth and coal decline.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that through July, utility-scale solar facilities generated 118 terawatt-hours, up 36 percent from last year, while wind production reached 275 TWh, an increase of 8 percent. Together, these renewables produced 393 TWh, surpassing the 388 TWh generated from coal.
This shift comes amid growing concerns about the reliability of the U.S. electric grid, exacerbated by increased power demands from emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, expanding data centers, and more intense heatwaves which spike air conditioning usage. The EIA noted a 4 percent rise in electricity demand to 2,436 TWh by the end of July.
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