EIA: New solar, wind + storage capacity will swamp fossil fuels in 2026

Key Points:

• In January 2026, renewable energy sources accounted for over 25% of US electricity generation, marking an 11% increase from the previous year, and made up more than 36% of installed generating capacity, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
• Solar, wind, and battery storage added over 55 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity in 2025, significantly outpacing fossil fuels and nuclear, which combined added less than 1 GW; solar and wind now represent nearly 30% of total US generating capacity.
• Utility-scale solar capacity grew by more than 27,000 MW, small-scale solar by over 6,300 MW, and battery storage by nearly 16,000 MW in the 12 months ending January 2026, while coal and petroleum-related capacity declined.
• Projections for 2026 indicate even stronger growth, with EIA forecasting over 41,500 MW of new utility-scale solar capacity, nearly 23,000 MW of battery storage additions, and more than 14,000 MW of new wind capacity, while fossil fuel and nuclear capacity are expected to decline or remain flat.
• The data demonstrate that despite federal policies unfavorable to renewables, clean energy sources continue to dominate new capacity additions, with solar, wind, and battery storage expected to account for virtually all new utility-scale capacity growth in 2026.