SUN DAY Campaign And EIA Data Show Renewables Supplied Nearly 26% Of U.S. Electricity In 2025, Led By Solar, Wind, And Battery Storage

A recent review by the SUN DAY Campaign of data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows that renewable energy sources provided nearly 26% of U.S. electricity generation in 2025, while accounting for more than 36% of installed generating capacity. Solar, wind, and battery storage are expected to continue driving growth in 2026, with projected capacity additions exceeding those of the previous year by over 60%, ensuring that nearly all net new generation will come from these clean energy sources.

Solar power set new records in 2025, according to EIA’s “Electric Power Monthly” report, which includes data through December 31, 2025. Utility-scale solar, consisting of systems larger than 1 MW, grew by 34.5% compared to 2024, while small-scale solar installations, such as rooftop PV, increased by 11.0%. Together, utility-scale and small-scale solar generation rose by almost 28%, producing just under 9% of total U.S. electricity—6.54% from utility-scale systems and 2.06% from small-scale installations—up from 6.9% the previous year. Within the renewable sector, solar now accounts for over a third of total electricity generation.

Wind power continues to lead among U.S. renewable sources, generating 10.3% of the nation’s electricity in 2025, an increase of 2.8% from 2024. In December alone, wind generation was 19% higher than a year earlier. Combined with solar, wind and solar together supplied nearly one-fifth of U.S. electricity in 2025, surpassing both coal and nuclear output. Their combined generation exceeded coal by 15.7% and nuclear by 8.7%. Overall, all renewable sources—including wind, solar, hydropower, biomass, and geothermal—produced 25.7% of U.S. electricity in 2025, up from 24.1% the year before, and now rank second only to natural gas, whose output fell by 3.3% during the same period.

Capacity additions in 2025 were dominated by solar, wind, and battery storage. Utility-scale solar capacity grew by 27,738.4 MW, with small-scale solar adding another 6,277.4 MW. EIA forecasts even stronger growth in 2026, with an additional 44,470 MW of utility-scale solar expected to come online. Utility-scale battery storage also expanded significantly, rising 58.4% in 2025 with 15,775.1 MW of new capacity, and 24,268.5 MW more is planned for 2026, representing a 56.7% increase. Wind power added 6,173.6 MW in 2025, with planned additions in 2026 projected to nearly double, including 10,369 MW onshore and 1,515 MW offshore.

By the end of 2025, renewables accounted for 33.2% of utility-scale capacity, excluding storage, and 36.3% including estimated small-scale solar. If EIA forecasts hold, new capacity additions from solar, wind, and batteries in 2026 will be 62% higher than in 2025. By contrast, conventional energy sources saw minimal growth or declines. Natural gas added 5,731.5 MW, nuclear power just 60.3 MW, while coal lost 4,397.4 MW, petroleum 559.4 MW, and other fossil fuels 62.2 MW. Overall, renewable capacity, including battery storage and small-scale solar, grew by 55,808.8 MW in 2025, compared with only 772.7 MW from all fossil fuels and nuclear combined.

Looking ahead to 2026, all net new utility-scale capacity is expected to come from renewables and battery storage. EIA projects that utility-scale renewable and battery additions will total 80,809.2 MW, with small-scale solar contributing an estimated 6,000 MW or more. Meanwhile, net capacity from natural gas, coal, and oil is forecast to decline by 4,211.6 MW, and no new nuclear capacity is expected. By the end of 2026, total renewable capacity, including small-scale solar, could reach 525,356.1 MW, surpassing natural gas at 514,212.5 MW. Combined solar capacity, at 261,166 MW, would also exceed wind (170,154.9 MW), coal (163,425.8 MW), and more than double nuclear capacity (98,451.5 MW), although coal and nuclear continue to have higher capacity factors.

Including small-scale solar, renewables’ share of total generating capacity could reach 40% by year-end, not accounting for battery storage contributions. Ken Bossong, Executive Director of the SUN DAY Campaign, summarized the findings by emphasizing that the rapid expansion of solar, wind, and battery storage is the key takeaway from EIA’s 2025 data. He added that if EIA’s projections for 2026 materialize, the growth of renewable energy in the United States will reach unprecedented levels.