Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has just announced two agreements he will be signing that will aim to phase out the use of coal by 2025.
Almost 40% of LA’s power comes from the Navajo Generating Station in Arizona and the Intermountain Power Project in Utah, two aging coal plants that have become a source of financial stress due to required maintenance on the out-of-date plants.
When Mayor Villaraigosa took office in 2005, nearly half of the city’s power came from coal, and only 3% came from clean energy. Today, California is the first state in the U.S. to hit 20% clean energy. It has also launched the country’s largest urban rooftop solar program, and in the last year, has finalized enough clean energy deals to power 330,000 homes with solar power.
A good portion of the country (and the planet) has been nervous and hesitant about transitioning away from coal, so this will help the skeptics see how clean energy benefits job creation, the economy, air and water, and our environment as a whole.
To keep up with LA’s progress to a future filled with clean energy, you can follow the “Beyond Coal†campaign on Twitter. If you don’t already, you can also follow us on Twitter, here.
Image CC licensed by Alan Stark: Navajo Generating Station 2
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