When the people of Oregon were confronted with the choice of using coal or clean energy to power their homes, the answer was clear. In March, Oregon became the first state in history to put a ban on coal-backed electricity generation. With around 30% of state wide electricity originating from coal-fired plants today, the legislature also mandates that renewable sources are used by utilities to generate at least half of their electricity by 2040.
Large utility companies have already begun their own phase out of coal due to the evolving preference of the consumer towards clean energy and this legislature enhances this existing trend.