On October 15, General Electric closed the last coal plant in Oregon in favor of investments in renewable sources. It took a long time, but energy companies are finally coming around to the idea that renewable energy is not only better for the planet, but can also be more affordable and create more job opportunities than fossil fuels.
General Electric’s Senior Communications Consultant, Steve Corson said, “Part of the purpose of this is to move away from coal and move toward cleaner energy resources.” This move towards renewables includes the company’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 80 percent by 2050.
The last plant in Oregon, which opened in 1977, was also pushed to close by a lawsuit filed against General Electric for air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions concerns. To replace the facility, General Electric plans to build a large green energy facility which will run off wind and solar energy alone.
We’re seeing more and more coal plants shutting down around the world. Oregon is the latest region to ditch coal permanently in favor of green energy solutions.
