Climate action continues to spur transformative changes in many parts of the country and around the globe—affirming the fact that renewable energy is the future.

A new study explores the “technical and economic characteristics of an accelerated energy transition” to 2050, indicating energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies as core elements of said transition. This includes “favourable economics, ubiquitous resources, scalable technology, and significant socio-economic benefits,” also indicating renewable energy can “supply two-thirds of the total global energy demand, and contribute to the bulk of the greenhouse gas emissions reduction that is needed between now and 2050 for limiting average global surface temperature increase below 2 °C.”

Furthermore, fast-falling wind and solar prices make running 74% of US coal plants more expensive than new renewables, raising “serious questions why uneconomic US coal plants should keep running,” according to a new research from Energy Innovation and Vibrant Clean Energy (VCE). “Policymakers must now start planning for a massive turnover of U.S. electricity generation from coal to clean, requiring a true accounting of which clean energy resources can replace existing coal plants,” according to Forbes.

States across the country are mobilizing climate action. Here are a number of changes underway for some of the states:

Oregon

Clean Energy Jobs Act (House Bill 2020) aims to reduce greenhouse gas emission levels in the state to at least 45 percent below 1990 emissions levels by 2035; and at least 80 percent below 1990 emissions levels by 2050. The cap also covers major polluters (around 85 percent) and all pollutants, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3).

Partial revenue from the cap-and-invest program will go into the Climate Investments Fund to support “important things like energy efficiency, renewable energy, land use planning, natural and working lands, reducing air pollution, and improving the resiliency of Oregon’s fish and wildlife ecosystems,” among other things.

Maryland

The Maryland State Senate has passed the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA), which would accelerate the state’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS) to 50% by 2030. In addition, it also “ disqualifies trash incineration from receiving subsidies for renewable energy. That component of the bill targets facilities such as Baltimore’s Wheelabrator incinerator, which is the city’s largest single source of industrial air pollution,” according to The Baltimore Sun.

Illinois

Illinois’ new Clean Energy Jobs Act (House Bill 3624 / Senate Bill 2132) establishes the following targets: 45 percent renewable sources by 2030 and 100 percent renewables by 2050. It also aims to modernize the transportation sector, by removing “the equivalent of one million gas and diesel-powered vehicles from the road by incentivizing electric vehicles, public transit and other alternatives,” according to the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition.

In addition, it would provide funding to local governments to create plans for dealing with the impacts of climate change, which could include updates to building codes, expanding public transit and reducing pollutants.

California and Texas

California has created the most jobs in renewable energy, electric vehicles, and other clean industries, according to the environmental advocacy group E2.

According to The Houston Chronicle, California has “513,000 total clean energy jobs, with more than half in heating, appliances, and lighting.” There are 127,000 residents working on solar jobs and roughly 6,000 jobs in wind energy.

Texas, however, “has 233,000 clean jobs, with about 163,000 in energy-efficient heating and air conditioning, energy-efficient lighting and energy-efficient appliances. Another 18,000 Texans make and sell electric vehicles. Another 25,000 Texans work in the wind industry and 11,000 work in solar energy.”

In the solar industry, New York and Massachusetts join California as the states with the highest number of solar power jobs.

Florida

Following California and Texas is Florida, securing the third highest spot nationwide in clean energy jobs. Florida has 158,652 total clean energy jobs. According to the E2 report, most of Florida’s clean energy jobs are in energy efficiency, where it has 118,412. In solar, according to the report, Florida has 10,528 jobs, while in clean vehicles it has 9,360.  

Puerto Rico (U.S. territory)

Puerto Rico’s House of Representatives approved legislation (PS 1121), which overhauls the island’s energy system. According to the report, “It will increase the island’s renewable energy portfolio standard to 100 percent by 2050, with incremental milestones set for 2025 and 2040, the law bans coal power after 2028.”

It will also “protect net metering for five years, mandates automatic interconnection and net metering for systems under 25 kilowatts, and requires larger systems between 25 kilowatts and 5 megawatts to be approved within 90-days.”

In addition, it will require the utility provider, Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), to purchase renewable energy credits from solar installations to meet the RPS and eliminates any taxes on solar production, solar panels, or storage systems.