"No new coal plants broke ground in 2009, a result of a combination of widespread public opposition, rising costs, increasing financial risks and concerns over future carbon regulations. In 2009 twenty-six coal-fired power plants--which would have emitted 146 million tons of carbon dioxide annually-- were defeated or abandoned, the largest number of new coal plants defeated since the coal rush began in 2001. This progress opens the way for a transition to a clean energy economy, including a 22.5% increase in electricity generated from wind between 2008 and 2009."
