Solar Surpasses Coal in US Grid for First Month on Record

For the first time in history, solar power generated more electricity than coal in the United States for an entire month, marking a watershed moment in the nation’s energy transition. In May 2026, solar supplied 12.8% of US electricity (45.5 TWh), while coal fell to 12.2% (43.4 TWh), according to data from global energy think tank Ember. The milestone comes even as the Trump administration pursues an aggressive agenda to revive the struggling coal industry.

A Historic Shift in the US Power Mix

Solar overtaking coal for a full month represents a dramatic reversal from just five years ago, when coal supplied 19.7% of US electricity and solar accounted for only 5.4%. The share of coal generation in the US mix has nearly halved over that period, while solar’s share has more than doubled.

Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy and data analyst at Ember, described the milestone as a landmark achievement. “US solar power continues to set new records. Overtaking coal for the first month on record shows just how far solar has come, from a niche contributor to the third-largest and fastest-growing source of power in the US electricity system,” Fulghum said. “From Texas to California, markets across the US are betting on solar to meet rising power needs.”

Solar also became the third-largest source of electricity in the US in May, behind only natural gas and nuclear power. Coal generation had hit an all-time monthly low of 39.3 TWh in April 2026, and while it rebounded modestly to 43.4 TWh in May, that was still 11% below May 2025 levels — allowing increasing solar output to overtake it.

Solar Dominates New Power Additions

The milestone is underpinned by staggering growth in solar installations. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie’s Q2 2026 US Solar Market Insight report, solar and battery storage made up 91% of all new generating capacity added to the US grid in the first quarter of 2026. Solar alone accounted for 60% of new capacity, with 7.8 GWdc installed nationwide.

As reported by PV Magazine USA, the US has now surpassed 6 million cumulative solar installations across all sectors — from large-scale arrays to residential rooftops. Notably, states won by President Trump in the 2024 election accounted for 74% of all solar capacity installed in Q1 2026, with Texas, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Arizona, and Mississippi ranking among the top 10 states for new solar additions.

Johanna Neumann, senior director at the Environment America Research and Policy Center, highlighted the geographic breadth of the clean energy boom. “I think there is a misconception in the United States that clean energy is something for the coasts and liberal cities,” she said. “The true story of renewable energy is a 50-state story.”

Trump’s $700 Million Coal Counteroffensive

Just days before the solar milestone was announced, President Trump unveiled a nearly $700 million initiative to support the coal industry, invoking the Defense Production Act to direct federal resources toward coal-fired power plants. As reported by AP News, the plan includes funding to upgrade 13 existing coal plants, build two new coal facilities — including a 1.6 GW plant in Grant County, West Virginia — and develop a new coal export terminal.

“Coal’s a great business,” Trump said at a White House event. “In terms of power, there’s really nothing like it.”

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers defended the administration’s energy policies, stating that 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.”

However, the administration has simultaneously moved to curtail renewable energy. It has canceled solar and wind projects, implemented policies that slowed clean energy permitting, and terminated $7 billion in funding intended for the Solar for All program — a decision now subject to litigation.

Economics Trump Politics

Despite the federal policy headwinds, solar’s growth is being driven primarily by market forces. Martin Pochtaruk, CEO of solar panel manufacturer Heliene, told AP News that “Trump can say that coal is coming back but investors will invest their money in whatever brings the best return. And for power generation that is solar, making it the fastest-growing fuel.”

Solar module prices have fallen more than 20% for distributed projects, bringing average prices down to $0.34/Wdc. The repeal of certain tariffs has further reduced costs, making solar the cheapest source of new electricity in many US markets.

Darren Van’t Hof, interim president and CEO of SEIA, warned that regulatory attacks on renewables come at a dangerous time. “As power demand skyrockets, political and regulatory attacks are slowing down the exact resources we rely on,” he said. “Impeding the only sector that is actively building new power is a reckless gamble that will only drive electricity bills higher.”

What’s Next

Ember’s Fulghum expects to see more months when solar exceeds coal generation, with solar overtaking coal on an annual basis likely within “a few years.” Globally, the International Energy Agency projects that renewables will become the largest energy source, accounting for nearly 45% of electricity generation by 2030.

Meanwhile, a federal judge struck down IRS guidance restricting tax credits for wind and solar projects on June 13, 2026, providing a potential boost to the industry. The question remains whether the Trump administration’s regulatory actions — including permitting slowdowns and tax credit uncertainty — can meaningfully slow solar’s momentum, or whether market economics will continue to drive the energy transition regardless of federal policy.

As Neumann put it: “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. 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.”