title: EIA: 62% more renewable energy capacity is coming in 2026
author: u/InsaneSnow45
contenttype: redditpost
publication: r/energy
published: 2026-02-27T13:55:22+00:00
sourceurl: https://www.reddit.com/r/energy/comments/1rg7c2h/eia62morerenewableenergycapacityiscoming/
word_count: 10
Link: https://electrek.co/2026/02/26/eia-renewable-energy-capacity-2026/
Score: 151 | Comments: 1 | Subreddit: r/energy
Top Comments
u/InsaneSnow45 (8 pts):
Solar, wind, and battery storage are projected to add 62% more generating capacity in 2026 than in 2025, assuring that those sources provide virtually all net new generating capacity this year, according to a review by the SUN DAY Campaign of data just released by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Solar set new records in 2025
EIA’s latest monthly “Electric Power Monthly” report (with data through December 31, 2025), once again confirms that solar is the fastest-growing source of US electricity.
Utility-scale (>1 megawatt (MW)) solar thermal and photovoltaic generation expanded by 34.5% during 2025, while that from “estimated” small-scale (e.g., rooftop) solar PV systems rose by 11.0% during 2025 compared to 2024.
The combination of utility-scale and small-scale solar increased by 28.0% and produced a bit under 9.0% (utility-scale: 6.54%; small-scale: 2.06%) of total US electrical generation last year, up from 6.9% a year earlier. Further, solar now accounts for 33.46% of US electrical generation by renewable energy sources.