The future of United States fossil fuel-fired electricity

Environmental and labor implications of retiring generators at the end of their typical lifespans

Analysis: E. Grubert, Georgia Tech. Web map implementation: R. Phillips. 2020.

Display Year

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Totals in Selected Year

n/a GW
n/a TWh
n/a million short tons CO₂
n/a short tons NO_x
n/a short tons SO₂
n/a billion gallons water consumption
n/a jobs

Data

Background and calculations: Grubert 2020, Science
Major inputs: EIA 860, eGRID 2018v2,
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages,
Grubert & Sanders 2018, ES&T

Power Plants

<50 MW ; 500 MW ; 5000 MW
Natural Gas Plants
Coal Plants
Oil Plants

Jobs

Note that color blending occurs in counties with multiple job types
Color categories are orders of 10
<10 1300 Fossil Power Plant Jobs
<10 2600 Natural Gas Extraction Jobs
<10 5600 Coal Extraction Jobs