EIA: New solar, wind + storage capacity will swamp fossil fuels in 2026
Why it matters: The U.S. energy grid is rapidly transforming, with renewables set to overwhelm fossil fuels in new capacity.
- U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data shows renewables provided 25.1% of U.S. electrical generation in January 2026, an 11.5% increase year-over-year.
- Solar, wind, and battery storage collectively added over 55 GW of new capacity between February 2025 and January 2026, while fossil fuels and nuclear combined saw a net increase of less than 1 GW.
- Renewables now account for 36.6% of total installed U.S. generating capacity, with solar alone making up 16.75% and wind and solar combined reaching nearly 30%.
- The SUN DAY Campaign highlights that EIA projections for 2026 anticipate even more dramatic growth for solar, wind, and batteries, signaling a continued shift away from traditional energy sources.
Renewable energy sources, particularly solar, wind, and battery storage, are rapidly dominating the U.S. power landscape, with the EIA reporting over 55 GW of new capacity added in 2025, dwarfing the less than 1 GW from fossil fuels and nuclear. This surge has propelled renewables to over a quarter of U.S. electrical generation and 36% of installed capacity, a trend projected to accelerate dramatically in 2026 despite political headwinds.
