The U.S. renewable energy sector continued to expand rapidly in 2026, with renewable electricity generation rising 10.7 percent during the first seven months of the year and renewables accounting for more than 29 percent of total U.S. electricity generation.
At the same time, renewable power and battery storage capacity expanded by more than 88.7 GW during the 18 months through July 2026, highlighting the continuing transformation of the U.S. electricity system despite greater policy uncertainty surrounding clean-energy development.
Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Electric Power Monthly show particularly strong growth in solar generation, while wind, hydropower and battery storage also strengthened their positions in the country’s power mix.
The next phase could be equally significant. Based on EIA project data cited by the SUN DAY Campaign, utility-scale renewable energy and battery storage could add approximately 76.7 GW through mid-2027. Including an estimated 6 GW of additional small-scale solar would potentially lift clean-energy and storage additions to about 82.7 GW.
U.S. Renewable Generation Jumps 10.7%
Renewable sources generated 10.7 percent more electricity between January and July 2026 than during the corresponding period in 2025.
Solar was the fastest-growing major renewable source.
Utility-scale solar electricity production increased 22 percent, while estimated small-scale solar generation rose 12.6 percent.
Hydroelectric generation increased 9 percent, while wind electricity production grew 5.9 percent.
The performance contrasts sharply with coal. U.S. coal-fired electricity generation dropped 10.2 percent during the period.
Natural gas generation increased only 1.8 percent, while nuclear generation rose 1.5 percent.
The latest EIA data therefore indicate that renewables accounted for a disproportionately large share of incremental electricity production during the first seven months of 2026.
The combination of wind and solar, including small-scale photovoltaic systems, generated 21.6 percent of U.S. electricity.
More significantly, wind and solar together generated 49 percent more electricity than coal-fired power plants and 26 percent more electricity than nuclear reactors.
Renewables Cross 29% of U.S. Electricity Generation
The combination of solar, wind, hydropower, biomass and geothermal energy provided more than 29 percent of total U.S. electricity generation during the January-July period.
That compares with 26.8 percent a year earlier.
The longer-term change is even more pronounced. Renewable energy represented approximately 22.3 percent of U.S. electricity generation in January 2025, according to the analysis of EIA figures.
The figures indicate that the changing U.S. generation mix is being driven by both new capacity and higher output from existing renewable assets.
Solar reached another milestone during July. For the second consecutive month, solar was the largest renewable electricity source in the United States for the month.
Solar electricity production was also almost equal to the combined output of wind and hydropower during July.
This is significant because wind and hydropower historically represented much larger components of U.S. renewable generation.
EIA separately expects solar to remain an important driver of U.S. electricity growth. Its outlook for solar power generation in 2026 and 2027 previously indicated that almost 70 GW of new solar generating capacity was scheduled to enter service across the two years.
Solar Capacity Expands by More Than 41 GW in 18 Months
The transformation becomes even clearer when installed capacity is examined.
Between February 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026, U.S. utility-scale solar capacity increased by approximately 41.1 GW, representing growth of 32.7 percent.
Small-scale solar capacity expanded by another 9.1 GW, an increase of 17 percent.
Wind capacity increased by approximately 12.2 GW, or 8 percent, including about 800 MW of offshore wind.
Combined capacity across solar, wind, hydropower, biomass and geothermal energy consequently expanded by approximately 62.1 GW, representing growth of 14.6 percent over the 18-month period.
Solar accounted for the majority of that renewable capacity expansion.
Battery Storage Adds 26.6 GW
Battery storage represents the other major change taking place across the U.S. electricity system.
Utility-scale battery energy storage capacity approximately doubled during the period examined by the SUN DAY Campaign, increasing by around 26.6 GW.
Combining renewable generation capacity with battery storage produces an expansion of more than 88.7 GW over the 18 months through July 2026.
Battery storage should not be treated as equivalent to electricity-generating capacity because batteries store electricity produced by other resources rather than generating primary energy. However, storage is becoming important to the integration of variable solar and wind resources.
EIA reported separately that U.S. utility-scale battery storage reached nearly 52 GW by June 2026, after operators added 8.3 GW during the first six months of the year. Battery capacity had reached 43.6 GW at the end of 2025. EIA said battery storage capacity had recorded an average annual growth rate of 70 percent during the previous three years.
Developers have plans for another 54 GW of battery storage capacity through the following two-and-a-half years, according to projects reported to EIA.
Fossil Fuel Capacity Growth Remains Limited
The comparison with conventional generating technologies illustrates the scale of the renewable buildout.
Coal generating capacity declined by approximately 4.1 GW, or 2.4 percent, during the 18-month period.
Natural gas capacity increased by approximately 7.6 GW, representing growth of 1.5 percent.
Nuclear power capacity increased by only about 801 MW, or 0.8 percent.
Combined fossil fuel and nuclear capacity therefore increased by approximately 2.6 GW, compared with more than 88.7 GW of renewable and battery capacity expansion.
The comparison does not mean the technologies provide equivalent electricity output. Natural gas and nuclear plants generally have different capacity factors and operating characteristics from solar, wind and battery systems. Nevertheless, the capacity additions show where the majority of new U.S. power infrastructure investment is currently being deployed.
Solar and Batteries Dominate New U.S. Power Capacity
The near-term project pipeline suggests that the trend will continue.
Based on the EIA capacity pipeline cited in the analysis, utility-scale solar could add approximately 43.6 GW over the 12 months through July 2027.
Wind could contribute another 9.5 GW, including approximately 3.36 GW of offshore wind.
Hydropower, biomass and geothermal projects collectively could add approximately 194 MW.
Battery energy storage could contribute another 23.4 GW by around August 2027.
Together, utility-scale renewable generation and battery storage would therefore provide approximately 76.7 GW of additional power capacity.
Small-scale solar could push the total higher.
EIA does not provide an equivalent 12-month forward forecast for small-scale solar in the data used for the analysis. The SUN DAY Campaign assumes approximately 6 GW could be added based on average annual additions during the previous five years.
If that assumption proves accurate, renewable energy and battery storage capacity additions could reach approximately 82.7 GW.
The distinction is important: the 76.7 GW figure is based on the utility-scale renewable and storage pipeline, while the additional small-scale solar component is an estimate rather than an EIA project forecast.
U.S. Could Add Record Power Capacity in 2026
Other EIA data reinforce the scale of investment taking place across the U.S. power sector.
At the beginning of 2026, developers expected to add a record 86 GW of utility-scale generating capacity during the year if all planned projects entered commercial operation.
Solar represented 51 percent of those planned additions, followed by battery storage at 28 percent and wind at 14 percent, according to EIA’s forecast for new U.S. generating capacity.
For comparison, the U.S. added 53 GW of generating capacity in 2025, which EIA said was the largest annual addition since 2002.
The agency’s latest Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory tracks operating and proposed generating units of at least 1 MW and provides one of the clearest views of the near-term U.S. power project pipeline. EIA cautions that the monthly capacity estimates are preliminary and can be revised.
Renewable Expansion Continues Despite Policy Uncertainty
The scale of renewable development is notable because the U.S. clean-energy sector has entered a more uncertain federal policy environment under the Trump administration.
The administration has sought changes affecting renewable energy development, particularly some wind and solar projects. However, electricity infrastructure responds to policy changes with a considerable lag.
Many projects entering operation during 2025-2027 were planned, financed, contracted, permitted or already under construction before recent policy changes could materially alter development pipelines.
That makes the next several years particularly important. The central question is not simply whether federal policy supports or restricts renewable energy, but how rapidly policy changes affect projects already moving through the development process.
Ken Bossong, executive director of the SUN DAY Campaign, argues that the capacity figures demonstrate the resilience of clean-energy deployment despite federal opposition.
The underlying EIA numbers point to a structural shift.
Solar has emerged as the fastest-growing major source of U.S. electricity generation, battery storage is expanding at exceptional rates, and wind continues to add capacity. Meanwhile, coal capacity and generation are declining and additions of new nuclear capacity remain limited.
With renewables already providing more than 29 percent of U.S. electricity, and as much as 76.7 GW of utility-scale renewable and battery capacity potentially entering the system over the coming year, solar, wind and energy storage are positioned to remain central to the changing U.S. electricity mix.