“Overtaking coal for the first month on record shows just how far solar has come, from a niche contributor to the third-largest and fastest-growing source of power in the US electricity system,”

Even as President Donald Trump boosts coal over clean energy, solar power is hitting new milestones in the U.S. and remains the leading source of new power.

Solar generated more US electricity than coal for the first time ever in May 2026 as coal’s decline accelerated, according to Ember.

Solar and storage accounted for 91% of new US power capacity added in Q1 2026, as electricity demand and AI growth surged.

Solar provides more than twice the share of electricity it did five years ago.

States won by Trump in the 2024 election accounted for 74 per cent of all solar capacity installed in the first quarter of 2026.

Solar power held a record 12.8% share of U.S. electricity in May, overtaking coal for the first full month on record, Ember reported Wednesday.

The findings, supported by a report from the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie, highlight solar’s continued growth and coal’s ongoing decline

In May, more of the nation's electricity was supplied by solar power than coal for the first time.

“Overtaking coal for the first month on record shows just how far solar has come, from a niche contributor to the third-largest and fastest-growing source of power in the US…

Solar supplied 12.8% of US electricity in May even as Trump boosts coal over clean energy

Secondo i dati ufficiali mensili e preliminari orari analizzati dal think tank energetico globale Ember, «A maggio 2026, per la prima volta in assoluto, l'energia solare ha…

Five years make the shift look even sharper. In May 2021, coal supplied 19.7% of US electricity, while solar accounted for just 5.4%. Today, solar's share of...

Despite President Trump's efforts to prop up the coal industry, Americans are embracing solar power more than ever. Solar supplies more electricity than coal in the US in May,…

Solar power rose to become the third largest electricity source in the U.S. last month, despite President Donald Trump’s penchant for coal.

Despite the Trump administration's efforts to revitalize domestic coal power, renewables continue to set new records.