Solar energy continues to surge in the United States, accounting for 72% of all new electrical generating capacity added during the first ten months of 2025, according to a review by the SUN DAY Campaign of data released by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). This marks the 26th consecutive month that solar has led all energy sources in new capacity additions.
For the first time, installed utility-scale solar capacity in the U.S. has surpassed that of wind, signaling a major milestone in the country’s energy transition. FERC forecasts that solar will add another 90 gigawatts (GW) over the next three years, surpassing nuclear and coal in installed capacity.
Monthly and Year-to-Date Additions
In October alone, 66 solar units totaling 1,082 megawatts (MW) were commissioned, representing 59.8% of all new capacity that month. Key projects included the 153-MW Felina Project in El Paso, Texas; the 150-MW Ratts 1 Solar Project in Pike County, Indiana; and the 145-MW Axial Basin Solar Project in Moffat County, Colorado.
Year-to-date, 649 utility-scale solar units totaling 22,457 MW were added, representing 72% of all new capacity in 2025. During the same period, wind added 4,746 MW (15.2% of new capacity), natural gas contributed 3,896 MW, while oil, biomass, and hydropower accounted for the remainder.
Renewables’ Growing Share
Together, solar and wind now constitute nearly one-fourth (23.8%) of U.S. utility-scale generating capacity. Including small-scale solar, which accounts for more than 25% of total U.S. solar capacity, the combined share of solar and wind exceeds 25%. When hydropower (7.57%), biomass (1.05%), and geothermal (0.31%) are included, total renewable energy now represents 32.7% of U.S. utility-scale generation.
Future Outlook
FERC projects high-probability additions of 89,720 MW of solar between November 2025 and October 2028, more than four times the forecast for wind (19,660 MW). During the same period, natural gas is expected to grow by 8,983 MW, nuclear by 335 MW, while coal and oil capacity are projected to decline.
If these projections materialize, utility-scale solar would account for 17.3% of U.S. installed generating capacity by 2028, second only to natural gas (40.1%). Including small-scale solar, solar’s share could exceed 20%, and total renewables could surpass 41% of the nation’s generation mix.
Ken Bossong, executive director of the SUN DAY Campaign, commented, “Despite regulatory hurdles and executive actions against renewables over the past year, solar and wind continue to grow dramatically, driven by economic and environmental benefits.”
The data underscores solar energy’s pivotal role in reshaping the U.S. power sector, positioning renewables as the backbone of the nation’s clean energy transition.
