U.S. Renewable Energy Generation Rises 11% in Q1 2026 as Solar, Wind and Storage Capacity Accelerates

New data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign shows that renewable energy generation in the United States increased by more than 11% during the first quarter of 2026, supported by strong growth in solar, hydropower, wind, and battery energy storage capacity.

According to EIA’s latest “Electric Power Monthly” report, electricity generation from renewable energy sources during the January–March 2026 period rose 11.1% compared to the same period in 2025. Utility-scale solar generation recorded the highest growth at 23.9%, followed by hydropower at 21.9%, small-scale solar at 11.9%, and wind energy at 2.1%.

Battery energy storage capacity also expanded by 8.5% during the period, while electricity generation from coal-fired power plants declined by 11.4%. Natural gas and nuclear power posted marginal growth of 1.1% and 0.9%, respectively.

Renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, hydropower, biomass, and geothermal, accounted for over 28.6% of total U.S. electricity generation during the first quarter of 2026. Combined wind and solar generation alone contributed more than 20% of total domestic electricity production, surpassing nuclear generation by 14.3% and coal generation by 31.1%.

The EIA further projected significant growth in renewable energy installations over the next year. By March 31, 2027, utility-scale solar, wind, and battery storage are expected to add more than 80.6 GW of new clean energy capacity across the country, while fossil fuel and nuclear generating capacity is projected to decline by more than 4.2 GW.

As of April 1, 2026, renewable energy accounted for 33.6% of total U.S. utility-scale generating capacity. EIA forecasts this share will rise to 36.6% by March 2027. Utility-scale solar capacity alone is expected to increase by 42.6 GW, raising its share from 12.8% to 15.7%, while wind capacity is projected to grow by 14.1 GW, including more than 4 GW of offshore wind additions.

The report also highlighted rapid growth in battery storage deployment. Battery storage capacity increased by 17.3 GW over the past year, and EIA expects another 23.5 GW to be added by April 2027, representing growth of more than 50%.

According to the SUN DAY Campaign, the combined additions of renewable energy and battery storage could reach nearly 87 GW by early 2027 when small-scale solar installations are included.

Separate forecasts issued by the EIA and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) indicate that renewable energy expansion is expected to continue through 2030 and beyond.

EIA’s “Annual Energy Outlook” projects utility-scale solar capacity to increase from 154.5 GW at the end of 2025 to 257.7 GW by 2030, while wind capacity is expected to rise from 159 GW to 204.4 GW during the same period. Offshore wind capacity alone is forecast to grow nearly tenfold by the end of the decade.

FERC’s latest “Energy Infrastructure Update” report projects that utility-scale solar could add more than 86 GW of new capacity between 2026 and 2028, while wind energy could contribute nearly 20 GW during the period. In contrast, coal and oil generating capacity are expected to decline significantly, with no new nuclear capacity additions anticipated.

Commenting on the findings, Ken Bossong, Executive Director of the SUN DAY Campaign, stated that renewable energy and battery storage continue to dominate new electricity capacity additions in the United States despite policy challenges, reflecting the ongoing momentum of the clean energy transition.