Renewable energy sources supplied almost 26% of electricity generated in the United States during the first 10 months of 2025, as solar power set new generation records and capacity additions accelerated, according to an analysis by advocacy group the Sun Day Campaign.
Based on monthly data, solar accounted for just over 9% of total U.S. electricity output between January and October, while wind contributed 9.9%, the group said. Combined wind and solar generation rose 12.4% year on year and made up 18.9% of total U.S. power production over the period.
The analysis showed solar electricity generation exceeded hydropower output by more than 67% and surpassed generation from hydropower, biomass and geothermal combined.
Solar also led new capacity additions, with 19,477.6 megawatts of new utility-scale installations and 4,837.7 MW of small-scale systems added since January, according to the group.
Battery storage capacity increased by 45% during the same period, adding 12,150.3 MW, with a further 21,940.4 MW planned over the next 12 months, the analysis said.
Wind capacity rose by 3,796 MW, while the current pipeline includes 9,567 MW of planned onshore projects and 800 MW offshore. By contrast, natural gas capacity increased by 3,479.6 MW, coal capacity declined by 3,241.1 MW and nuclear additions totalled 46 MW.
The Sun Day Campaign said renewables and battery storage could account for all net new U.S. generating capacity in 2026.
“It is clear that – notwithstanding the roadblocks created by the Trump administration – growth by renewable energy sources and battery storage has greatly outpaced fossil fuels and nuclear power,” said Ken Bossong, executive director of the Sun Day Campaign.
Bossong added that renewables and batteries could represent 100% of net new capacity additions next year, underscoring the pace of change in the U.S. power sector.
