Renewables’ installed capacity to beat natural gas within a year – EIA data
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- Renewables and battery storage are projected to add roughly 82.9 GW of new US generating capacity by June 30, 2027, while combined fossil fuel and nuclear capacity is set to fall by about 3.1 GW.
- Renewable electricity generation grew 11% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, led by utility-scale solar (up 21.6%), small-scale solar (up 13%), hydropower (up 10.1%), and wind (up 6.5%).
- Combined wind and solar produced 58% more electricity than US coal plants and 28% more than nuclear in H1 2026, accounting for 22.3% of domestic electricity production.
- Installed renewable capacity rose by approximately 44,889 MW in the year ending June 30, 2026, with utility-scale solar contributing 28,077 MW, wind 10,553 MW (including 800 MW offshore), and small-scale solar 6,492 MW.
- Renewables' share of US electrical generation has nearly doubled over the past decade, from 16.9% in mid-2016 to 30.2% in mid-2026, while utility-scale battery storage grew from 2,652 MW in mid-2021 to 51,666 MW by mid-2026.
- Battery storage is projected to grow another 44% by July 1, 2027, adding an estimated 22,788 MW to reach roughly 74,454 MW total.
- SUN DAY Campaign executive director Ken Bossong said renewables' growth is poised to expand even faster in the coming year despite roadblocks set up by the Trump administration.
Why it matters: If the EIA projections hold, renewables will leapfrog natural gas in installed US capacity by mid-2027, with renewables plus battery storage adding over 82 GW against a net 3.1 GW decline in fossil-plus-nuclear capacity. The shift redraws the competitive map for US power markets: solar alone would exceed 20% of total US generating capacity, and battery storage roughly doubles its 2021 footprint by next July.
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