Solar energy generated more electricity than coal in the United States for the first time on record in May, marking a major milestone in the country's changing energy landscape and renewable power in general.
According to new data released by energy think tank Ember, solar supplied 12.8% of U.S. electricity generation in May, edging past coal's 12.2% share.
The milestone comes after years of steady growth in solar installations across the country and a long-term decline in coal-fired power generation. Once the dominant source of U.S. electricity, it has steadily lost market share due to competition from cheaper natural gas, renewable energy expansion, aging power plants, and environmental regulations.
Analysts at Ember noted that May is traditionally one of the strongest months for solar generation because of longer daylight hours and relatively moderate electricity demand. Regardless, it reflects a broader structural shift in the U.S. power sector rather than a seasonal anomaly.
The latest figures show solar has become the nation's third-largest source of electricity generation behind natural gas and nuclear power.
The growth has been particularly notable in traditionally conservative states. According to industry data cited by the Associated Press, nearly three-quarters of new solar capacity installed during the first quarter of 2026 came from states that voted for President Donald Trump, including Texas and Florida.
Federal data also points to the continued expansion of solar generation. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that utility-scale solar power generation increased 34% in 2025 compared with the previous year, while small-scale rooftop solar generation also continued to grow.
The EIA also reported that wind and solar combined generated a record 17% of U.S. electricity in 2025. Coal, meanwhile, continues to decline. The EIA expects coal's share of the nation's electricity mix to fall further over the next several years as renewable energy capacity expands and utilities retire older coal-fired plants.
The agency recently projected that coal's contribution to U.S. power generation could drop from 17% in 2025 to roughly 15% by 2027.The trend is especially visible in Texas, the nation's largest energy-producing state. The EIA has forecast that utility-scale solar generation within the state's ERCOT power grid will exceed coal generation on an annual basis in 2026, another first for a region historically associated with fossil fuel production.
Solar output in ERCOT is expected to reach 78 billion kilowatt-hours next year compared with 60 billion kilowatt-hours from coal. Industry groups say the economics of solar remain a major driver of the sector's growth.
