Overview
- Ember’s analysis found that in May 2026 solar produced 12.8% of U.S. electricity compared with coal’s 12.2%, making solar the country’s third-largest single source behind natural gas and nuclear.
- U.S. solar generation hit a monthly record of about 45.5 terawatt-hours in May 2026, up roughly 17% from a year earlier and higher than the previous record set last summer.
- Market trends show new investment favoring solar plus batteries: SEIA and Wood Mackenzie reported that solar and battery storage accounted for roughly 91% of new generating capacity in Q1 2026.
- The Biden-era decline of coal continued with coal hitting an all-time monthly low in April 2026 and only a modest rebound in May even as the Trump administration announced nearly $700 million in support for coal and has curtailed some clean-energy programs.
- The shift is broad and seasonal: new solar capacity is being added across politically diverse states and solar’s share often peaks in spring, so analysts say more monthly records this summer could presage coal losing ground on an annual basis and affect electricity prices, investment decisions, and grid planning.