The United States strengthened its clean energy transition in 2025, with low-carbon sources accounting for 43 percent of total electricity generation, matching the global average, according to Ember. The US remained the second largest electricity demand market globally, behind China.
Solar and wind continued to expand, contributing 19 percent of total generation, while solar emerged as the dominant driver of new capacity. Solar alone met more than 60 percent of US electricity demand growth in 2025, highlighting its growing importance in the power mix. Rapid deployment of battery storage further supported solar integration and grid reliability.
Despite this progress, fossil fuels still accounted for 57 percent of electricity generation, with natural gas representing 40 percent, reflecting its continued role in balancing supply. However, US power sector emissions intensity stood at 384 gCO₂e per kWh, significantly below the global average of 458 gCO₂e per kWh, indicating a relatively cleaner generation mix.
Nuclear power remained the largest low-carbon source at 17 percent, providing stable baseload generation. Wind and solar have also played a key role in reducing coal dependence, overtaking coal generation in 2024 for the first time.
Although federal policy signals became more uncertain in 2025, renewable deployment remained strong across states. Texas led solar generation growth, while Florida’s solar expansion exceeded demand growth, contributing to a decline in fossil generation.
As electricity demand rises, the US is increasingly relying on cost-effective and rapidly deployable technologies such as solar and battery storage. This trend is expected to continue shaping the country’s energy transition, reinforcing the role of renewables in meeting future demand growth.
BABURAJAN KIZHAKEDATH
