Image: Zelestra
Renewables accounted for 30.0% of total US electrical generation during the first third of 2026, up 2.2% year over year, according to new data recently released by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), and reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign.
Electrical generation by renewables grew 10% y-o-y
According to the EIA’s latest “Electric Power Monthly” report (with data through April 30, 2026), renewables-generated electricity during the first four months of 2026 was 10.03% greater than in the same period in 2025. The growth was led by utility-scale solar (>1 megawatt) (+21.3%), hydropower (+15.7%), small-scale solar (<1 MW) (+11.9%), and wind (+3.4%).
The electrical output of US coal plants fell by 11.6%, while nuclear power grew +0.5%. Electricity generated by natural gas plants grew by 2.8%.
The combination of wind and solar, including small-scale solar, accounted for 21.8% of domestic electrical production.
In April alone, wind and solar each produced more electricity than US coal plants, while the combination of solar and wind produced 57.0% more electricity than nuclear power.
The mix of all renewables, including biomass and geothermal, accounted for 30.0% of total US electrical generation during the first third of 2026 – up from 27.8% a year earlier.
Renewable energy capacity rises 40,000 MW in a year
Between May 1, 2025, and April 30, 2026, the installed capacity of utility-scale solar increased by 27,572.3 MW, while small-scale solar and wind grew by 6,492.2 MW and 5,976.4 MW, respectively. The combined capacity of all renewable energy sources, including hydropower, biomass, and geothermal, expanded by 39,884.2 MW.
EIA reported that, in April, utility-scale solar capacity surpassed wind capacity for the first time (160,208.1 MW vs. 160,100.6 MW).
Further, utility-scale battery energy storage capacity increased by 17,703.5 MW, or 58.1%. Nuclear added just 18.4 MW.
On the fossil fuel front, coal capacity fell by 3,511.4 MW, and natural gas capacity rose by 7,754.2 MW.
Renewables to add 56 GW in next 12 months
As of May 1, 2026, renewable energy’s share of total US utility-scale generating capacity was 33.8%. EIA projects this to grow to 36.8% by April 30, 2027. Utility-scale solar will add 42,527.2 MW, thereby expanding its share from 13.1% to 15.9%, while wind will grow by 13,154.4 MW (including 3,355.0 MW of offshore wind), increasing from 13.1% to 13.6%. The mix of other renewables (hydropower, biomass, and geothermal) will add 298.7 MW.
The combined capacity growth of all utility-scale renewable energy sources for the 12-month period (55,980.3 MW) is two-thirds more (i.e., 67.6%) than that added during the previous 12 months (33,392.0 MW).
EIA projects no new nuclear generating capacity and a net decline of 5,200.5 MW in fossil fuel capacity.
How renewables could surpass natural gas by 2027
The estimated capacity of small-scale solar systems grew by 6,492.2 MW over the last year, bringing its total to 61,521.5 MW. EIA does not provide a forecast for small-scale solar capacity growth, but the SUN DAY Campaign assumes it will roughly equal last year’s growth (i.e., an additional 6,000 MW or more).
If small-scale solar increases by approximately 6,000 MW by May 1, 2027, it will bring renewable energy’s installed capacity to about 537,606.9 MW. By comparison, natural gas’s generating capacity would total 515,744.9 MW.
Solar power’s share alone would be more than one-fifth (20.1%) of total US capacity.
Battery storage projected to grow by 47% by next spring
EIA foresees battery energy storage adding another 22,828.9 MW by May 1, 2027, bringing the total up to 71,007.4 MW, an increase of over 47%.
Combined, utility-scale renewable energy sources and battery energy storage would provide 78,809.2 MW of new clean energy capacity by mid-spring 2027. With the inclusion of small-scale solar, that figure could rise to close to 85,000 MW.
“The steadily accelerating march of solar, wind, and battery storage continues,” noted Ken Bossong, executive director of the SUN DAY Campaign. “Trump seems to be having no more success in stopping the growth of renewable energy sources than he is having in repairing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.”
Read more: California solar is crushing natural gas this year
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