US Solar Power Achieves Record Growth as Renewables Approach Natural Gas Levels

US Solar Hits New Records as Renewables Approach Natural Gas Levels – EIA

According to recently released data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), solar power contributed over 10% of total US electricity generation in April. Combined with wind energy, renewables accounted for nearly a quarter of the nation’s electricity supply, with all renewable sources generating almost a third of the total.

The EIA’s latest report, “Electric Power Monthly” (covering data through April 30, 2025), reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign, highlights that solar energy continues to be the fastest-growing source of electricity in the US. In April alone, utility-scale solar generation (greater than 1 MW) surged by 39.3%, while small-scale solar (e.g., rooftop installations) saw an increase of 11.8%. Together, these sources contributed to a 31.3% increase in solar energy, providing 10.7% of the nation’s electrical output. Additionally, utility-scale solar thermal and photovoltaic (PV) systems grew by 42.4%, while small-scale solar systems rose by 11.4% in the first third of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Overall, the combined output of utility-scale and small-scale solar increased by 32.9%, representing nearly 7.7% of total US electrical generation from January to April, up from 6.1% the previous year.

As a result of this growth, solar electricity generation has now surpassed hydropower, which generated 6.0%. In fact, solar is now producing more electricity than hydropower, biomass, and geothermal energy combined.

Wind energy remains a leading renewable source, contributing 12.6% of US electricity during the first four months of 2025, which is a 5.9% increase from the previous year. In April alone, wind power supplied 13.9% of the nation’s electricity, effectively matching the share provided by coal.

When considering the first third of 2025, the combined electrical generation from wind and both utility-scale and small-scale solar accounted for 20.3% of total US electricity, up from 18.5% during the same period in 2024. In April, the combination of solar and wind energy represented 24.6% of the nation’s electrical output. For the first four months of this year, wind and solar together produced 20.2% more electricity than coal and 13.8% more than US nuclear power plants. In April alone, this disparity grew significantly, with solar and wind outpacing coal and nuclear by 77.1% and 40.2%, respectively.

Renewable energy sources are also closing in on natural gas. From January to April, the total output from all renewables (including wind, solar, hydropower, biomass, and geothermal) increased by 10.3% compared to the previous year (9.7% in April alone), contributing 27.7% of total US electricity production, up from 26.3% a year ago. Notably, April set a new record for renewable energy generation, which accounted for 32.8% of total US electricity. Meanwhile, natural gas output dropped by 4.4% during the month, with its share now at 35.1%. To put this into perspective, five years ago in April 2020, renewables accounted for only 24.4% of total electricity generation, while natural gas provided 38.8%. This shift has solidified the position of renewables as the second-largest source of electricity generation, closely trailing behind natural gas.

Ken Bossong, executive director of the SUN DAY Campaign, commented on these developments: “Solar is now the fastest-growing major source of electricity, generating more than hydropower, biomass, and geothermal combined. Wind and solar together produce more electricity than either coal or nuclear power, and the total output from all renewables is rapidly approaching that of natural gas.”

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