Solar Generation Beats Coal in the US for the First Time Ever
Ember said solar generated 45.5 terawatt-hours in May, a 17% increase from a year earlier, as coal output fell to 12.2% of U.S. electricity.
- In May 2026, solar power generation surpassed coal for the first time in United States history, supplying 12.8% of electricity while coal provided 12.2%, according to energy think tank Ember.
- Solar's share of the electricity mix has risen sharply over five years, climbing from 5.4% in May 2021 as major efficiency gains and manufacturing breakthroughs drove rapid industry expansion.
- New data from Ember shows US solar generation hit 45.5 terawatt-hours in May, making solar the country's third-largest electricity source, trailing only natural gas and nuclear power.
- President Donald Trump's administration announced $700 million in funding to "expand and reinvigorate America's coal industry," including plans for the first new coal-fired power plants in 13 years.
- Despite political headwinds from Trump's pro-coal efforts, experts expect the solar market to continue advancing, with solar and battery storage accounting for 91% of new energy generation capacity in early 2026.
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26 Articles
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Solar generates more energy than coal in US for 1st time: Report
In this Jan. 4, 2025, file photo, solar panels are seen on the roof of a commercial building in West Los Angeles. (Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images, FILE) (NEW YORK) — The amount of solar power generated in the U.S. is continuing to grow despite efforts from the Trump administration to slow down the renewable energy sector, according to two reports released this week. The U.S. has generated more power from solar compared to coal for the first ti…
Solar beat coal on the US grid in May — a new milestone
This article is part of our “Chart of the Week” series . The U.S. just hit a big milestone: It got more power from solar panels than from coal plants in May. It’s the first time that has ever happened across an entire month, and all the more notable given the Trump administration’s all-out push to revive the…
Coal finally loses to the Sun
Electrek reports that solar supplied 12.8% of U.S. electricity in May 2026, beating coal's 12.2% for the first month on record, according to analysis from Ember. Five years ago, coal generated nearly 20% of U.S. electricity in May, and solar was just 5.4%. — Read the rest The post Coal finally loses to the Sun appeared first on Boing Boing.
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