Solar Energy Surpasses Coal in US for First Time Amid Policy Shifts

WHO:

ABC News - Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy and data analyst at Ember

ABC News - Martin Pochtaruk, CEO and founder of Heliene

ABC News - Taylor Rogers, White House spokeswoman

ABC News - Darren Van’t Hof, interim president and CEO of SEIA

ABC News - Johanna Neumann, senior director at Environment America Research and Policy Center

WHAT:

ABC News - Solar power supplied 12.8% of the U.S. electricity in May, surpassing coal at 12.2%.

ABC News - Coal generation hit an all-time monthly low of 39.3 TWh in April 2026 and rose to 43.4 TWh in May, which is 11% lower than May 2025 levels.

ABC News - Solar generation reached a record 45.5 terawatt-hours (TWh) in May 2026, up 17% from May 2025.

Electrek - Solar became the third-largest source of electricity in the U.S. in May, behind natural gas and nuclear.

ABC News - Solar and battery storage accounted for 91% of all new generating capacity in the first quarter of 2026.

WHERE:

ABC News - States won by Trump in the 2024 election accounted for 74% of all solar capacity installed in the first quarter of 2026, including Texas, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Arizona, and Mississippi.

WHEN:

ABC News - The first time solar surpassed coal in electricity generation occurred in May 2026.

ABC News - The International Energy Agency predicts that renewables will become the largest global energy source by 2030.

WHY:

ABC News - The growth of solar power is attributed to increasing electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence, domestic manufacturing, and electrification of transportation and heating.

ABC News - Trump announced a plan to boost the coal industry, stating that “coal’s a great business” and that "in terms of power, there’s really nothing like it."

HOW:

ABC News - The data on electricity generation was released by Ember, the Solar Energy Industries Association, and Wood Mackenzie.

ABC News - The Trump administration has implemented policies that slowed clean energy permitting and development, including the cancellation of $7 billion in funding for affordable solar energy projects.

(UPDATED June 10, 2026 17:58 UTC)

In a significant milestone for renewable energy, solar power supplied 12.8% of the U.S. electricity in May, surpassing coal, which provided 12.2%. This shift comes as solar generation reached a record 45.5 terawatt-hours in May, marking a 17% increase from the previous year, while coal generation hit an all-time monthly low of 39.3 terawatt-hours in April and rose to 43.4 terawatt-hours in May, 11% lower than the same month in 2025. Notably, states won by Trump in the 2024 election accounted for 74% of all solar capacity installed in the first quarter of 2026, highlighting the growing influence of solar and battery storage, which made up 91% of new generating capacity during that period.