U.S. Solar Passes 6 Million Installations as May Output Tops Coal
Solar and storage accounted for 91% of new U.S. grid capacity in the first quarter, while May solar generation rose 17% and coal fell 11%.
- On Wednesday, the American Clean Power Association reported that utility-scale solar capacity surpassed wind as total U.S. clean power capacity moved above 370 GWh following first-quarter additions.
- Despite President Donald Trump's efforts to boost coal, solar and battery storage represented 91% of all new generating capacity built during the first quarter of 2026.
- Data from the ACP's Q1 2026 Clean Power Quarterly Market Report shows new capacity consisted of 3.625 GWh of utility-scale solar, 2.382 GWh of storage, and 415 megawatts of wind.
- According to Ember, solar supplied 12.8% of U.S. electricity in May, exceeding coal's 12.2% share, even as the administration terminated $7 billion in intended solar funding.
- Developers have more than 195 GWh of capacity in development nationwide, with large projects such as New Mexico's 3.5 GWh SunZia installation expected to energize late in 2026.
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78 Articles
Solar power continues to gain momentum in the United States despite President Donald Trump's administration's push to boost coal and cut back on clean energy. In May, solar power plants generated more electricity in the United States than coal for the first time in history. Solar power accounted for 12.8 percent of electricity generation, compared with 12.2 percent for coal, according to data from energy think tank Ember.
Solar generated more electricity than coal in May, amid Trump investment in coal plants
LG&E's Mill Creek power plant in southwest Jefferson County.(Curtis Tate / WEKU)U.S. electricity generation from solar surpassed coal for the first time in May. Solar generated 12.8% of the country's electricity last month, while coal declined to 12.2%. That's according to Ember, a global energy policy group. The shift coincides with a renewed push by the Trump administration to revive coal generation. Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of …
PBS NewsHour
Washington TimesSolar power hits new milestones in the U.S. even as Trump boosts coal over clean energy
Even as President Donald Trump boosts coal over clean energy, solar power is hitting new milestones in the U.S. and remains the leading source of new power.
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