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U.S. Solar Moves Ahead of Coal
Coverage from PBS News, The Guardian, and others
Articles
50
Active Days
159
The Topic
U.S. solar generation exceeded coal in May 2026, supplying 12.8% of national electricity versus coal’s 12.2%, while also becoming the country’s third-largest electricity source. Solar and battery storage dominated new generating capacity, and utility-scale additions are expected to remain strong as demand from data centers, manufacturing, transport, and heating increases. The shift is occurring alongside federal efforts to support coal and reduce or accelerate the phaseout of some clean-energy incentives, creating policy uncertainty for developers and grid planners.
First Article: 04/02/26
Latest Article: 09/07/26
Summary
- Solar supplied 12.8% of U.S. electricity in May 2026, exceeding coal at 12.2%.
- Solar became the third-largest U.S. electricity source, behind natural gas and nuclear.
- Solar and battery storage accounted for 91% of new U.S. generating capacity in the first quarter of 2026.
- Utility-scale solar additions were forecast at about 43 gigawatts in both 2026 and 2027.
- Rising electricity demand from data centers, manufacturing, transport, and heating is supporting new solar projects.
- Federal coal support, project cancellations, permitting changes, tariffs, and tax-credit deadlines are increasing policy and financing uncertainty.
- Texas and the ERCOT grid are expected to produce more electricity from solar than coal in 2026.
History
The story now frames solar not just as overtaking coal, but as becoming the third-largest U.S. electricity source, underscoring a more durable shift in the power mix. It also adds more explicit policy and financing uncertainty around permitting changes, tariffs, and tax-credit deadlines.
The story now adds a sharper policy dimension: solar’s growth is still intact, but federal support for coal and changes to clean-energy incentives have become a more explicit headwind. It also broadens beyond Texas and ERCOT with a new California comparison and stronger emphasis on utility-scale solar’s near-term buildout.
Featured
06-10-2026
Ember reported May 2026 U.S. solar reached 12.8% of electricity, exceeding coal at 12.2%, amid federal policy backing for coal and continued solar deployment growth.
06-11-2026
Ember reported that solar supplied 12.8% of US electricity in May, overtaking coal at 12.2% despite federal policy favoring coal.
06-11-2026
Ember and industry analysts reported May US electricity shares where solar at 12.8% surpassed coal at 12.2%, amid rising demand and Trump coal-support policies.
Timeline: 159 Days
Hover over any logo to see coverage summary, click for full article.
Additional Articles
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EIA forecasts ERCOT in Texas will generate more electricity from solar than coal in 2026 and 2027 based on projected kWh volumes.
Ember reported in June 2026 that solar provided 12.8 percent of U.S. electricity in May, exceeding coal at 12.2 percent for the first time on record.
Ember electricity data analysis reports Asia solar generation edging past gas in the 12 months to April 2026 amid LNG disruptions and stalled gas expansion.
Ember reported that U.S. solar provided 12.8% of electricity in May, surpassing coal at 12.2% as federal policy shifts and legal challenges affect renewables development.
Ember analysis using U.S. generation data reported solar at 12.8% of electricity in May versus coal at 12.2%, despite Trump administration cuts to solar support.
EIA forecasts ERCOT utility-scale solar will surpass coal generation in 2026 as Texas demand rises and battery storage expands.
Germany and China policy and manufacturing advances supported solar-led renewables overtaking coal for global electricity in 2025.
Charlie Gay, Hans-Josef Fell, and Li Junfeng are recognized for work connected to renewables surpassing coal in worldwide electricity in 2025.
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Ember reported solar supplied 12.8 percent of U.S. electricity versus 12.2 percent from coal in a prior month, as coal reached a record low while federal orders extended some coal plant operations.
Utility-scale solar in the United States is projected to add 42,971 megawatts in 2026 as developers navigate tariffs, tax-credit deadlines, and solar-plus-storage requirements.
Ember reported May U.S. solar reached 12.8% of electricity, overtaking coal at 12.2% amid administration coal-support policies and renewable permitting disputes.
Ember and SEIA-Wood Mackenzie reports show U.S. solar supplied 12.8% of electricity in May 2026 and surpassed coal on record, amid continued capacity additions and EPA cancellation of Solar for All.
EIA reported in 2026 that CAISO utility-scale solar outgenerated natural gas on 82% of days, amid rising solar capacity, faster battery growth, and doubled imports.
EIA Electric Power Monthly reports US renewables reached 30.0% of generation in early 2026 through April 30, 2026, driven by solar and wind growth plus rapid battery capacity increases.
EIA projects ERCOT solar generation in Texas will exceed coal in 2026 and 2027 while ERCOT reliability remains supported by gas, nuclear, wind, and battery storage.
NERC assesses U.S. summer 2026 reliability as solar and battery additions improve readiness, while New England, the Pacific Northwest, West Texas, and Saskatchewan remain at higher risk.
In 2026, CAISO reports California utility-scale solar outproduced natural gas on 82% of days from January through May, aided by 16 GW batteries and reduced gas generation.
Ember reports EU solar reached 25% of June electricity, with Spain, Germany, and Hungary receiving over one-third to nearly half and electricity-sector CO2 falling since 2020.
In the United States, solar deployment continues in 2025 even as policy actions reduce Inflation Reduction Act solar incentives.
Federal offshore wind restrictions and solar tax credit changes under the Trump administration met court and state resistance while May 2026 US electricity saw solar exceed coal for the first time on record.
Ember, SEIA, and Wood Mackenzie report solar supplied more U.S. electricity than coal in May, despite federal policy favoring coal and limiting renewables.
Ember, SEIA, and Wood Mackenzie report May U.S. solar generation reached 12.8%, surpassing coal at 12.2% despite federal policy favoring coal.
Science’s 2025 Breakthrough of the Year honors Charlie Gay, Hans-Josef Fell, and Li Junfeng for contributions enabling renewables to surpass coal electricity worldwide.
Ember, SEIA, and Wood Mackenzie report US solar generated 12.8% of electricity in May 2026, surpassing coal at 12.2% during a period of Trump coal-support policies.
Ember, SEIA, and Wood Mackenzie report May solar surpassed coal in U.S. electricity share amid federal coal support and renewable-development restrictions.
Ember reported solar surpassed coal in U.S. electricity share in May while Trump policy increased coal support and reduced affordable solar funding.
Ember, SEIA, and Wood Mackenzie reported May U.S. electricity generation shifts toward solar over coal, while Nevada and national policy actions influence grid and capacity planning.
In the United States, policy actions targeting wind and solar incentives contrast with continued rapid solar deployment, supported by permitting feasibility and declining solar costs.
ERCOT queue data in Texas shows gas generation surpassing wind as data center demand and the Texas Energy Fund increase dispatchable generation planning.
Ember data and SEIA and Wood Mackenzie analysis report solar surpassed coal in U.S. electricity generation in May 2026 as solar and batteries dominated new capacity.
U.S. solar surpassed coal in May electricity share after Ember and SEIA data, amid federal support for coal and setbacks to solar programs.
US Energy Information Association reported that California utility-scale solar outpaced natural gas on 82% of days through May as solar and storage capacity grew.
Ember reported record U.S. solar output while Texas Governor Greg Abbott proposed data-center rules, with federal funding resuming for a lithium refinery and Holtec considering small modular reactors in New Jersey.
In 2025, U.S. electricity-sector emissions rose 4% as coal generation increased, while Watershed released an AI emissions estimation framework.
ERCOT interconnection queue data in Texas shows gas projects surpassing wind for the first time since 2016, driven by data center demand and Texas Energy Fund loans.
Ember, SEIA, and Wood Mackenzie report higher U.S. solar generation share in May and continued coal decline amid federal support for coal and restrictions on solar and wind projects.
In 2026, rooftop solar growth persisted amid Trump-era coal procurement and offshore wind restrictions, despite ongoing federal and state legal challenges.
Spring operations in California, New York, Texas, and New Mexico showed growing solar, wind, and battery contributions that displaced coal and gas generation during peak demand windows.
US Energy Information Administration projections indicate ERCOT in Texas will generate more electricity from solar than coal in 2026 and 2027 while maintaining reliability.
In the United States, residential demand for solar paired with battery storage rose 21% in 23 days after the Iran war began, with EV sales up 17% in a quarter.
Trump administration measures in the USA increased wind project cancellations and reduced solar tax credit access while solar deployment continued to rise through 2025.
BloombergNEF projects tech:solar-pv will overtake coal as the leading electricity generator within six years, with 2026 installations slightly below 2025 levels.
Ember reported that solar generated 12.8 percent of US electricity in May, surpassing coal at 12.2 percent for the first time on record.
Texas expanded wind generation through renewable portfolio standards and CREZ transmission, while Winter Storm Uri in 2021 drove system-wide weatherization policy for grid resilience.
ERCOT in Texas reported declining summer grid-emergency risk as solar and battery storage additions increased, with U.S. EIA projecting solar to overtake coal in 2026.
A Washington delegation studied Texas renewable scaling during visits to ERCOT, Austin Energy, UT Austin, and CapMetro, focusing on faster interconnection and transmission.
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ERCOT and PUCT report Texas grid change in 2025-2026 as interconnection queues expand for gas, solar, and storage and transmission spending rises for load growth.