SEATTLE (Oil Monster): Renewable energy is still outpacing fossil fuels as the leading new sources of electricity on the U.S. grid. Electrical generation from renewable energy sources has increased by 10%, or more than 43 GW, in the first eight months of 2026, according to an analysis of Energy Information Administration (EIA) data by the SUN DAY Campaign.
Renewables are expected to account for more than 40% of the United States’ total electrical output over the next year. At the start of September, renewable energy accounted for 34.5% of utility-scale generation in the country.
Utility-scale and small-scale solar are the two fastest growing renewable energy sources being tied to the grid. Compared to the first eight months of 2025, utility-scale solar projects increased by 20%, and smaller systems increased by 12% in 2026. Between September 2025 and August 2026 utility-scale solar increased by 27.1 GW and small-scale solar 6.5-GW. Battery energy storage systems’ capacity increased by 17.6 GW.
New natural gas and nuclear power only grew by 2.6% an 1.3%. Coal’s electrical output decreased by more than 8%. If new renewable energy proliferation continues at its expected pace, EIA is predicting that it could overtake natural gas output by summer 2027.
“Each new issue of EIA’s ‘Electric Power Monthly’ reinforces the theme that the growth of solar, wind and battery storage has become unstoppable,” said Ken Bossong, executive director of the SUN DAY Campaign. “Meanwhile, the share of the nation’s electrical generation and generating capacity provided by fossil fuels and nuclear continues to shrink.”
Courtesy: www.solarpowerworldonline.com
