Clean Energy Milestone: Renewables Race Ahead of Coal

For the first half of 2025, wind and solar energy generated over one-fifth of U.S. electricity — surpassing coal and signalling a significant shift in how America powers itself.

“US developers expect half of new electric generating capacity to come from solar in 2025 and another 13% from wind,” says Ken Bossong, executive director of the SUN DAY Campaign.

Solar electricity, now producing nearly 45% more electricity than hydropower, made up 8.7% of all U.S. power from January to June, compared to just 6.9% the previous year. Wind power also climbed, supplying 11.6% of the nation’s electricity. Altogether, all renewables, including hydropower, biomass, and geothermal, produced 27.7% of U.S. electricity, while wind and solar alone surpassed both coal and nuclear during the same period. This isn’t just progress — it’s momentum. With renewables growing nearly three times faster than total electricity generation (9.2% vs 3.0%), the shift toward clean power looks increasingly unstoppable — and might be the beginning of America’s energy transformation.