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\n\t\t\t\tPhoto: Convergent Energy\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\tPhoto: Convergent Energy\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Newly published data from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC<\/a>), reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign, reveal that solar accounted for over 75% of US electrical generating capacity added in the first nine months of 2025. In September alone, solar provided 98% of new capacity, marking 25 consecutive months in which solar has led among all energy sources. <\/p>\n Year-to-date (YTD), solar and wind have each added more new capacity than natural gas has. The mix of all renewables remains on track to exceed 40% of installed capacity\u00a0within three years; solar alone may be 20%.<\/p>\n Solar was 75% of new generating capacity YTD<\/p>\n In its latest monthly \u201cEnergy Infrastructure Update\u201d report<\/a> (with data through September 30, 2025), FERC says 48 \u201cunits\u201d of solar totaling 2,014 megawatts (MW) were placed into service in September, accounting for 98% of all new generating capacity added during the month. Oil provided the balance (40 MW).<\/p>\n The 567 units of utility-scale (>1 MW) solar added during the first nine months of 2025 total 21,257 MW and were 75.3% of the total new capacity placed into service by all sources. Solar capacity added YTD is 6.5% more than that added during the same period a year earlier.<\/p>\n \tAdvertisement – scroll for more content<\/p>\n Solar has now been the largest source of new generating capacity added each month for 25 consecutive months, from September 2023 to September 2025. During that period, total utility-scale solar capacity grew from 91.82 gigawatts (GW) to 158.43 GW. No other energy source added anything close to that amount of new capacity. Wind, for example, expanded by 11.07 GW while natural gas\u2019s net increase was just 4.60 GW.<\/p>\n Between January and September, new wind energy has provided 3,724 MW of capacity additions \u2013 an increase of 28.6% compared to the same period last year and more than the new capacity provided by natural gas (3,161 MW). Wind accounted for 13.2% of all new capacity added during the first nine months of 2025.<\/p>\n Renewables were 88% of new capacity added YTD<\/p>\n Wind and solar (plus 4 MW of hydropower and 6 MW of biomass) accounted for 88.5% of all new generating capacity while natural gas added just 11.2% YTD. The balance of net capacity additions came from oil (63 MW) and waste heat (17 MW).<\/p>\n Utility-scale solar\u2019s share of total installed capacity (11.78%) is now virtually tied with that of wind (11.80%). If recent growth rates continue, utility-scale solar capacity should surpass that of wind in FERC\u2019s next \u201cEnergy Infrastructure Update\u201d report.<\/p>\n Taken together, wind and solar make up 23.58% of the US\u2019s total available installed utility-scale generating capacity.<\/p>\n Moreover, more than 25% of US solar capacity is in the form of small-scale (e.g., rooftop) systems that are not reflected in FERC\u2019s data. Including that additional solar capacity would bring the share provided by solar and wind to more than a quarter of the US total.<\/p>\n With the inclusion of hydropower (7.59%), biomass (1.05%) and geothermal (0.31%), renewables currently claim a 32.53% share of total US utility-scale generating capacity. If small-scale solar capacity is included, renewables now account for more than one-third of the total US generating capacity.<\/p>\n Solar soon to be No. 2 source of US generating capacity<\/p>\n FERC reports that net \u201chigh probability\u201d net additions of solar between October 2025 and September 2028 total 90,614 MW \u2013 an amount almost four times the forecast net \u201chigh probability\u201d additions for wind (23,093 MW), the second fastest growing resource.<\/p>\n FERC also foresees net growth for hydropower (566 MW) and geothermal (92 MW) but a decrease of 126 MW in biomass capacity.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, natural gas capacity is projected to expand by 6,667 MW, while nuclear power is expected to add just 335 MW. In contrast, coal and oil are projected to contract by 24,011 MW and 1,587 MW, respectively.<\/p>\n Taken together, the net new \u201chigh probability\u201d net utility-scale capacity additions by all renewable energy sources over the next three years \u2013 the Trump administration\u2019s remaining time in office \u2013 would total 114,239 MW. On the other hand, the installed capacity of fossil fuels and nuclear power combined would shrink by 18,596 MW.<\/p>\n Should FERC\u2019s three-year forecast materialize, by mid-fall 2028, utility-scale solar would account for 17.3% of installed U.S. generating capacity, more than any other source besides natural gas (39.9%). Further, the capacity of the mix of all utility-scale renewable energy sources would exceed 38%. The inclusion of small-scale solar, assuming it retains its 25% share of all solar energy, could push solar\u2019s share to over 20% and that of all renewables to over 41%, while the share of natural gas would drop to less than 38%.<\/p>\n In fact, the numbers for renewables could be significantly higher.<\/p>\n FERC notes that \u201call additions\u201d (net) for utility-scale solar over the next three years could be as high as 232,487 MW, while those for wind could total 65,658 MW. Hydro\u2019s net additions could reach 9,927 MW while geothermal and biomass could increase by 202 MW and 32 MW, respectively.\u00a0Such growth by renewable sources would swamp that of natural gas (29,859 MW).<\/p>\n \u201cIn an effort to deny reality, the Trump Administration has just announced a renaming of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in which it has removed the word \u2018renewable\u2019,\u201d noted the SUN DAY Campaign\u2019s executive director Ken Bossong. \u201cHowever, FERC\u2019s latest data show that no amount of rhetorical manipulation can change the fact that solar, wind, and other renewables continue on the path to eventual domination of the energy market.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking to replace your old HVAC equipment, it\u2019s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you\u2019re finding a trusted, reliable HVAC installer near you that offers competitive pricing on heat pumps, check out EnergySage<\/a>. EnergySage is a free service that makes it easy for you to get a heat pump. They have pre-vetted heat pump installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions. Plus, it\u2019s free to use!<\/p>\n Your personalized heat pump quotes are easy to compare online and you\u2019ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here<\/a>. \u2013 *ad<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/DES-1038_Electrek-Banners_EVs_d0a435.png\")
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