California solar is crushing natural gas this year

Key Points:

• In the first five months of 2026, California’s utility-scale solar plants generated more electricity than natural gas on 82% of days, a significant increase from 21% in the same period of 2024 and 2025, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
• Utility-scale solar capacity in California's grid operator CAISO grew 19% to 25 GW between April 2024 and April 2026, while battery storage capacity surged 79% to 16 GW, helping to store solar energy for use during non-daylight hours.
• Natural gas generation dropped 60% during early 2026 compared to 2024, with natural gas capacity remaining flat at 29 GW, reflecting a rapid decline in its role within California’s electricity mix.
• Despite a 7% increase in electricity demand, total net generation within CAISO fell 19% over two years due to a doubling of electricity imports, including hydropower from the Pacific Northwest and wind power from New Mexico’s SunZia project.
• The data highlights California’s accelerating transition to renewable energy, with solar and batteries expanding quickly while natural gas diminishes, supported by increased imports and some capacity retirements, including a 300 MW battery storage facility lost to fire.