Solar surpasses coal in US power generation for first time as renewables expand
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Summary
Solar power surpassed coal in U.S. electricity generation for the first time in May, marking a significant milestone in the energy transition. Despite the Trump administration's prioritization of coal and rollback of clean energy incentives, solar remains the leading source of new power capacity. Data from Ember, SEIA, and Wood Mackenzie confirm solar's continued growth and coal's ongoing decline, driven by economics and state-level policies rather than federal support.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledSolar hit the milestone in May and is the leading source of new power, even as the Trump administration deprioritizes it and has canceled incentives.
Even as President Donald Trump boosts coal over clean energy, solar power is hitting new milestones in the U.S. and remains the leading source of new power.
Data released Wednesday by global energy think tank Ember, along with a report by the Solar Energy Industries Association and analytics firm Wood Mackenzie, show the continued growth of solar and decline of coal in the United States despite federal policy.
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