Overview
- Ember’s analysis of EIA data shows solar produced a record 45.5 terawatt‑hours in May 2026 and supplied 12.8% of U.S. electricity, narrowly exceeding coal’s 12.2% for the month.
- Industry data from SEIA and Wood Mackenzie show solar plus battery storage made up 91% of new U.S. capacity in Q1 2026 as the country added 7.8 gigawatts of solar and passed six million cumulative installations.
- Federal policy moves that boost coal and roll back earlier clean‑energy programs have produced legal fights and new guidance that experts say has slowed permitting for renewable projects.
- The Solar Energy Industries Association reports 457 solar and storage projects are stuck waiting on permits, and Wood Mackenzie now expects U.S. annual solar additions to be essentially flat over the next five years.
- Growth is concentrated geographically and by demand: Texas led Q1 deployment and states that voted for President Trump accounted for 74% of new installs as companies building AI data centers and other large buyers drove utility‑scale contracts.