Industrial greenhouse gas emissions account for 23% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, making it the third largest contributor of such emissions. When accounting for both direct emissions and indirect emissions from purchased electricity, the share is closer to 30%. Carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide result from the burning of coal in factories and our 205 power plants. In 2024, we generated as much as 4,389 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity at utility-scale power plants in the U.S. Coal is the most emissions-intensive fossil fuel. About two-thirds of this electricity generation was from fossil fuels including coal, natural gas, petroleum and other gases. About 20% was from nuclear energy and about 18% was from renewable energy sources. Advocates say some power plants have deployed carbon capture technology such as scrubbers to remove harmful particulates and gases from smokestacks. Many other plants have switched to cleaner-burning natural gas. However, coal used to manufacture steel and cement is still a major source of emissions, accounting for more than 20% of all the world’s coal usage. In 2018, these two industries, along with our chemical industry, were the largest contributor to the growth in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

In an executive order aimed at combating climate change, President Biden ordered power plants to achieve carbon-free electricity generation by 2035. The Supreme Court has since undermined Biden’s order by limiting the EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from existing coal and gas fired power plants under the landmark 1970 Clean Air Act anti-pollution law.

Pending Legislation: S.25 - Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act of 2025
Sponsor: Sen. Chris Van Hollen (MD)
Status: Senate Committee on Finance
Chair: Sen. Mike Crappo (ID)