Renewable energy sources generated 30.2% of the electricity in the United States in the first half of 2026, up from 27.8% in the corresponding period last year, according to US Energy Information Administration (EIA) data, reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign.
As it noted, electricity generation from renewables grew 10.9% in the period, compared with the corresponding period a year earlier, with utility-scale solar generation rising by more than a fifth (21.6%), while small-scale solar increased 13%, hydropower grew 10.1% and wind generation rose 6.5%.
At the same time, electricity generation from natural gas and nuclear increased by 1.8% and 1.7% respectively, while coal generation fell 11.3%, the data showed.
‘Setting growth records’
“Renewable energy – led by solar and wind – has been setting growth records for at least the past decade,” said Ken Bossong, executive director, SUN DAY Campaign. “And, notwithstanding the roadblocks set up by the Trump Administration, all signs indicate that its growth is poised to expand even faster in the coming year.”
Combined, wind and solar accounted for 22.3% of US electricity generation during the half-year period, producing some 495,975 GWh, compared with 388,891 GWh from nuclear power and 313,679 GWh from coal.
Capacity increase
Renewable capacity has also increased – in the period from July 2025 to June 2026, utility-scale solar capacity increased by 28,076.7 MW, while small-scale solar capacity grew by 6,492 MW.
Elsewhere, wind capacity increased by 10,552.9 MW, including 800 MW of offshore wind, while attery storage capacity also increased by 17,858.8 MW.
As of the end of June, renewable energy’s share of total US utility-scale generating capacity was 34.3%. The EIA projects this to grow to 37.1% by end-June 2027.
The SUN DAY Campaign calculates that renewable energy capacity could reach about 546,219 MW by summer 2027, ahead of natural gas capacity (518,286 MW). Read more here.
