Coal dropped, but looks like natural gass usage jumped. That's only a small difference in carbon output. Nuclear is the way to go until we've got a solid infrastructure that can handle the ups and downs of renewables, grid storage and general upgrades, nation wide.
Mint is where I started and I think it's a great way to begin. Lots of helpful GUI interfacing to get you situated. Plus the popularity makes finding help a lot easier.
"Skeptics Guide To The Future" is supposed to be pretty good, and "Black Hole War" is a great read but might be old news to a pro in the field.