Solar surpasses coal in US electricity generation for first time despite Trump's pro-coal policies

Jennifer McDermott

23h ago· 4 min readenNews

FeedBagel synthesis

· 2 sources

In May, solar power generated more electricity than coal in the US for the first time, supplying 12.8% of the nation's electricity compared to coal's 12.2%, according to data from energy think tank Ember. This milestone was achieved despite the Trump administration's active promotion of coal, as reported by multiple sources including the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie. Solar remains the leading source of new power capacity additions in the US, underscoring coal's ongoing structural decline.

85/100

Golden Brown

Bagelometer↗

Slow-proofed and worth the wait. Worth its weight in flour.

Score85TypenewsSentimentpositive

Summary

Solar power has become the leading source of new electricity generation in the US, surpassing coal for the first time in May with 12.8% of electricity compared to coal's 12.2%, according to data from energy think tank Ember. This milestone was achieved despite the Trump administration's active promotion of coal. The findings, supported by reports from the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie, underscore solar's continued growth trajectory and coal's ongoing decline in the nation's energy landscape.

Key quotes

· 3 pulled

For the first time in May, solar supplied a greater share of the nation's electricity than coal, accounting for 12.8% compared to coal's 12.2%

This marked coal's fourth-lowest monthly share ever

Solar power has reached unprecedented milestones in the United States, emerging as the leading source of new electricity generation

Snippet from the RSS feed

The findings, supported by a report from the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie, highlight solar’s continued growth and coal’s ongoing decline

You might also wanna read

Solar surpasses coal in US electricity generation for first time in May

Solar power generated more electricity than coal in the US for the first time in May, supplying 12.8% of the nation's electricity compared t

theguardian.com·14h ago

Solar Power Surpasses Hydroelectric Generation in US for First Time After 35% Growth

The article reports on the US Energy Information Administration's 2025 electricity generation data, revealing a mixed picture. While overall

arstechnica.com·3mo ago

Renewables Surpass Natural Gas in U.S. Power Generation for First Time

For the first time in U.S. history, renewable energy sources generated more electricity than natural gas in a recent month, marking a signif

e360.yale.edu·1mo ago

Solar Becomes EU's Largest Electricity Source for First Time, Reaching 22% in June

For the first time, solar power became the largest source of electricity in the European Union in June, supplying a record 22% of the bloc's

e360.yale.edu·11mo ago

Solar Power Met 61% of US Electricity Demand Growth in 2025

A new analysis from energy think tank Ember reveals that solar power accounted for 61% of the growth in US electricity demand in 2025, handl

electrek.co·4mo ago

Solar Power Becomes World's Leading Energy Source for New Capacity, IEA Reports

The International Energy Agency's 2026 Global Energy Review reveals that solar power has become the world's leading source of new energy cap

electrek.co·1mo ago