Renewables Are 30% of U.S. Electrical Generation as They Expand Output by >10% in 1st Third 2026; EIA Projects 78.5-GW of New Solar, Wind & Batteries in Coming Year

New data recently released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), and reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign, reveals growth of more than 10% in electrical generation by renewable energy sources in the first third of 2026. Moreover, utility-scale solar, wind, and battery storage are projected to add more than 78.5 gigawatts (GW) of new generating capacity in the U.S. by April 30, 2027 while total fossil fuel and nuclear power capacity will fall by over 5.2-GW.

Electrical generation by renewables sources grew over 10% and was 30% of the U.S. total in the first third of 2026.

According to the EIA’s latest “Electric Power Monthly” report (with data through April 30, 2026), renewably-generated electricity during the first four months of 2026 was 10.03% greater than in the first third of 2025. The growth was led by utility-scale (i.e., >1 megawatt (MW)) solar (up 21.3%), hydropower (up 15.7%), small-scale solar (i.e., <1-MW) (up 11.9%), and wind (up 3.4%). [1]

By comparison, the electrical output of the nation’s coal plants fell by 11.6% while nuclear power experienced weak growth – just 0.5%. Electricity produced by natural gas facilities expanded by 2.8%.

The combination of just wind and solar, including small-scale solar, provided well over a fifth (21.8%) of domestic electrical production.

In April alone, wind and solar each produced more electricity than the nation’s coal plants while the combination of solar and wind produced 57.0% more electricity than did nuclear power. [2]

The mix of all renewables, including biomass and geothermal, accounted for 30.0% of total U.S. electrical generation during the first third of 2026 – up from 27.8% a year earlier.

Over the past year, renewable energy capacity increased by almost 40,000-MW.

Between May 1, 2025 and April 30, 2026, the installed capacity of utility-scale solar increased by 27,572.3-MW while that of 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.

In April, for the first time, EIA reported that utility-scale solar capacity surpassed that of wind (160,208.1-MW vs. 160,100.6-MW).

In addition, utility-scale battery energy storage capacity increased by 17,703.5-MW or 58.1%. [3]

By comparison, coal capacity fell by 3,511.4-MW and nuclear added just 18.4-MW. However, natural gas capacity rose by 7,754.2-MW.

Renewable energy to add 56-GW of new capacity in the coming year.

As of May 1, 2026, renewable energy’s share of total U.S. utility-scale (i.e., >1-megawatt (MW)) 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 (i.e., 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).

Meanwhile, EIA projects no new generating capacity by nuclear power and a net decline of 5,200.5-MW in fossil fuel capacity. [4]

With the inclusion of new small-scale solar, renewables’ capacity could surpass natural gas by early 2027 – or sooner.

The figures cited above do not include small-scale solar. [5] The estimated capacity of small-scale solar systems grew by 6,492.2-MW during 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 that of the past year (i.e., an additional 6,000-MW or more). [6]

If small-scale solar does increase by approximately 6,000-MW by May 1, 2027, it will bring renewable energy’s installed capacity up to about 537,606.9-MW. By comparison, natural gas’ generating capacity would total 515,744.9-MW.

Solar power’s share alone would be more than one-fifth (20.1%) of total U.S. capacity.  

Battery energy storage is projected to increase by over 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%.

Thus, the combination of utility-scale renewable energy sources and battery energy storage will 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 the SUN DAY Campaign's executive director Ken Bossong. “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.”

EIA | https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly

[1] In January-April 2026, wind produced 185,496 gigawatt-hours (GWh) - 12.8% of total U.S. electrical generation - while utility-scale and small-scale solar combined produced 130,639-GWh (9.0%), hydropower produced 99,787-GWh (6.9%), biomass produced 14,521-GWh (1.0%), and geothermal produced 5,238-GWh (0.36%).

[2] In January-April 2026, the mix of wind and solar, including small-scale solar, produced 316,135-GWh while nuclear power generated 255,104-GWh and coal provided 212,270-GWh. In April 2026, wind generated 49,136-GWh. Utility-scale and small-scale solar generated 40,912-GWh. Solar and wind combined generated 90,048-GWh. Coal generated 39,777-GWh. Nuclear power generated 57,373-GWh.

[3] EIA presents its capacity data as “summer capacity” defined as the maximum output that generating equipment can supply to system load at the time of summer peak demand. See Table 6.1 in the “Electric Power Monthly” report.

[4] Capacity factors for fossil fuels and nuclear power are generally higher than for solar and wind. For 2025, EIA reported capacity factors of 48.7%, 58.4%, and 91.0% for coal, natural gas, and nuclear power respectively. By comparison, the capacity factors for wind and utility-scale PV were 34.2% and 24.4% respectively. See Tables 6.07.A and 6.07.B. Capacity factors for small-scale solar systems (10%-25%.) are usually lower than for utility-scale solar.

[5] In its “Electric Power Monthly” report, EIA refers to small-scale or distributed solar as “Estimated Small Scale Solar Photovoltaic.” Unless otherwise indicated, all calculations presented in this release include electrical generation by small-scale solar which EIA estimates to have totaled 31,245-GWh in January-April 2026. Utility-scale solar totaled 99,394-GWh for the same period.

[6] Between May 1, 2025 and April 30, 2026, estimated small-scale solar accounted for 6,492.2-MW in new capacity additions. The SUN DAY Campaign is therefore assuming that at least 6,000-MW in new small-scale solar capacity will be added during the coming 12 months.