Even as President Donald Trump promotes coal over clean energy, solar power has achieved new milestones in the United States and remains the leading source of new electricity generation. Data released Wednesday by global energy think tank Ember, along with a report by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and analytics firm Wood Mackenzie, highlight the continued growth of solar and the decline of coal despite federal policies.
Solar surpasses coal in May
In May, for the first time, solar supplied more of the nation's electricity than coal, accounting for 12.8% of generation, according to Ember. Coal contributed 12.2%, marking its fourth-lowest monthly share ever. "For years solar power has risen in the U.S. electricity mix," said Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy and data analyst at Ember. "At the same time, coal power has lost its status, first as the largest source in the U.S. mix, and then gradually over the years has fallen even further."
Solar also became the third-largest source of electricity in the U.S. in May, behind natural gas and nuclear, Fulghum noted. Coal generation hit an all-time monthly low in April and rebounded only modestly in May, allowing increasing solar generation to overtake coal.
Electricity demand and clean energy growth
Electricity is produced by converting energy sources such as fossil fuels, renewables, and nuclear power into electrical power. Burning coal, oil, and natural gas for electricity emits carbon dioxide, which traps heat in the atmosphere and warms the planet. In contrast, solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, and nuclear are carbon-free. After roughly two decades of flat electricity consumption in the U.S., demand is now rising to power artificial intelligence, grow domestic manufacturing, and electrify transportation and heating. Fulghum expects more months where solar exceeds coal generation, eventually overtaking it on an annual basis within a few years.
These milestones indicate that solar "has staying power" at a time when federal support for renewable energy is waning, he added. Wind and solar combined have previously overtaken coal, and wind alone has outpaced coal during spring months when wind speeds increase. Ember obtains its hourly and monthly data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Global renewable energy trends
Globally, electricity generation from renewables is growing rapidly. According to the International Energy Agency, renewables will become the largest global energy source, accounting for nearly 45% of electricity generation by 2030.
Trump's coal boost and clean energy challenges
Last week, Trump announced a plan to support the struggling U.S. coal industry by spending nearly $700 million to back coal-fired power plants and coal exports. At a White House event, Trump stated that "coal's a great business" and "in terms of power, there's really nothing like it." Martin Pochtaruk, CEO of Canadian solar panel manufacturer Heliene, countered that investors will put their money where returns are highest, which for power generation is solar, making it the fastest-growing fuel.
A White House spokeswoman defended the administration's energy policies, stating they aim to strengthen national security. "The President has reversed the Left's devastating policies, saved the American coal industry, prevented the retirement of more than 17 gigawatts of power, and saved lives during heightened demand periods," Taylor Rogers said in a statement.
Despite Trump's efforts to reverse coal's decline, solar has been the top source for new power for five years, according to SEIA. SEIA and Wood Mackenzie reported that solar and battery storage made up 91% of all new generating capacity in the first quarter. The Trump administration has canceled solar and wind projects, implemented policies slowing clean energy permitting and development, and terminated $7 billion in funding for affordable solar energy projects.
"As power demand skyrockets, political and regulatory attacks are slowing down the exact resources we rely on," said Darren Van't Hof, interim president and CEO of SEIA. "Impeding the only sector that is actively building new power is a reckless gamble that will only drive electricity bills higher." Several groups sued the Environmental Protection Agency over canceling the Solar for All program, but a district court dismissed the case last week due to lack of jurisdiction. Another filing is pending in the Court of Federal Claims. In a ruling Saturday, a federal judge struck down IRS guidance restricting tax credits for wind and solar projects.
Trump has blamed renewable energy sources for skyrocketing energy costs, but energy analysts attribute recent price hikes to growing demand, aging infrastructure, and increasingly extreme weather events worsened by climate change. The war in Iran that Trump launched has also contributed to energy cost spikes. U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, a California Democrat, called blaming clean energy "nonsensical" and said that "not even lighting $700 million of taxpayer money on fire" can save the dying coal industry. "The rest of the world will move ahead toward a clean energy future with countries other than the United States leading the charge, unfortunately," he said. "Trump will fail in this agenda. But, he will do enormous damage to our global leadership on clean energy and to the cost of living for struggling Americans."
Solar growth in Trump-voting states
States won by Trump in the 2024 election accounted for 74% of all solar capacity installed in the first quarter of 2026, with Texas, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Arizona, and Mississippi among the top 10 states for new solar additions, according to SEIA. The U.S. now has over 6 million solar installations nationwide across all sectors, including large-scale arrays, commercial, community solar, and residential rooftop systems.
Johanna Neumann of the Environment America Research and Policy Center described the solar growth as "good news for our health and our planet" and not surprising. "Today we can harness solar more affordably than any other energy source. It's scalable. And it's also our most abundant renewable energy source," said Neumann, senior director of the center's campaign for 100% renewable energy. "So I think it's hard to keep the lid on a good idea, especially if the economics are tilting in your favor as well, which they are in the case of solar."
Environment America's renewable energy dashboard shows that 32 U.S. states generated at least 10% of their retail electricity sales from solar, wind, and geothermal last year, up from 18 states in 2016. Clean energy is booming in the South, particularly in Florida, Arkansas, and Mississippi. "I think there is a misconception in the United States that clean energy is something for the coasts and liberal cities," Neumann said. "The true story of renewable energy is a 50-state story."
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