Solar Power Surpasses Coal in the US
Even as President Donald Trump promotes coal over clean energy, solar power is achieving new milestones in the United States and remains the leading source of new power. Data released on 10 June by the global energy think tank Ember, along with a report by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and analytics firm Wood Mackenzie, highlights the continued growth of solar and the decline of coal in the US despite federal policy.
In May, for the first time, solar supplied more of the nation’s electricity than coal, at 12.8 per cent, according to Ember. Coal supplied 12.2 per cent, its fourth-lowest monthly share ever. Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy and data analyst at Ember, stated that solar power has been rising in the US electricity mix for years, while coal has lost its status as the largest source of electricity. Over the years, coal has gradually fallen further in the mix.
Solar also became the third-largest source of electricity in the US in May, behind natural gas and nuclear, Fulghum said. Coal generation hit an all-time monthly low in April and rebounded only modestly in May, allowing increasing solar generation to overtake coal.
Increasing Electricity Demand
Electricity is produced by converting sources of energy—fossil fuels, renewable resources, and nuclear—into electrical power. Burning coal, oil, and natural gas for electricity emits carbon dioxide, which traps heat in the atmosphere and warms the planet. By contrast, solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, and nuclear are carbon-free.
After about two decades of essentially flat electricity consumption in the US, electricity demand is increasing to power artificial intelligence, grow domestic manufacturing, and electrify transportation and heating. Fulghum expects to see more months where solar exceeds coal generation before overtaking it on an annual basis in a few years.
Global Renewable Growth
Globally, electricity generation from renewables is growing rapidly. According to the International Energy Agency, renewables will become the largest global energy source, used for almost 45 per cent of electricity generation by 2030.
Despite Trump's efforts to support the struggling US coal industry, solar has remained the top source of new power for five years, according to SEIA. In the first quarter, solar and battery storage made up 91 per cent of all new generating capacity.
The Trump administration has cancelled solar and wind projects, implemented policies that slowed clean energy permitting and development, and terminated $7 billion in funding intended for affordable solar energy projects across the US.
Political and Regulatory Challenges
Darren Van’t Hof, interim president and CEO of SEIA, stated that political and regulatory attacks are slowing down the exact resources we rely on. Impeding the only sector that is actively building new power is a reckless gamble that will only drive electricity bills higher.
Several groups sued the Environmental Protection Agency over cancelling the Solar for All program. A district court dismissed the case last week citing lack of jurisdiction. The plaintiffs have another filing pending in the Court of Federal Claims.
In a ruling on Saturday (6 June), a federal judge struck down guidance from the Internal Revenue Service restricting tax credits for wind and solar projects.
Trump has blamed renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power for skyrocketing energy costs. However, energy analysts say recent price hikes are based on growing demand, ageing infrastructure, and increasingly extreme weather events that are exacerbated by climate change. Most recently, the war in Iran that Trump launched has also led to a spike in energy costs.
Solar Growth Across the US
States won by Trump in the 2024 election accounted for 74 per cent of all solar capacity installed in the first quarter of 2026, with Texas, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Arizona, and Mississippi ranking among the top 10 states for new solar additions, SEIA says. The US now exceeds a total of six million installations nationwide across all solar sectors, which includes large-scale solar arrays, commercial, community solar, and residential or rooftop solar.
Johanna Neumann, at the Environment America Research and Policy Center, said it's “good news for our health and our planet that solar continues to grow,” and also not surprising. She added that today we can harness solar more affordably than any other energy source. It’s scalable and also our most abundant renewable energy source.
Environment America's renewable energy dashboard shows that 32 US states generated at least 10 per cent of their retail electricity sales from solar, wind, and geothermal energy last year, compared to 18 states in 2016. Clean energy in the South is booming, particularly in Florida, Arkansas, and Mississippi.
Neumann noted that there is a misconception in the United States that clean energy is something for the coasts and liberal cities. “The true story of renewable energy is a 50-state story.”
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