U.S. Utility-Scale Solar and Wind Generation Hit a Record 17% Share (19% if Smaller Deployments are Included) in 2025 Despite Solar Deployments Dropping by 22%

      Utility-scale solar and wind have reached a new record as generation share on the U.S. grid, hitting 17% in 2025. The EIA defines utility-scale as facilities that produce 1MW or greater. If smaller deployments such as rooftop solar are included, then the share rises to 19%. That is quite an accomplishment. In comparison, the EU, which does not have the domestic supply of oil & gas that the U.S. has, is at 30% share for utility-scale wind and solar. The EU's stronger push for renewables has come at a cost, and electricity prices continue to be the highest where renewables penetration is highest - Germany and California, for example.

     From the EIA graph below, it can be seen that utility-scale solar and wind doubled their share on the grid from 2018 to 2024 from 8% to 16%. The increase in grid share has been steady over the past two decades.  Before that, it was virtually non-existent. Two decades ago, in 2005, the grid share was less than 1%. Based on recent trends, with continuing efforts, one might project that the grid share for wind and solar is increasing by 9% over 7 years. That means 26% in 2032 and 35% in 2039. That is, of course, less than the Biden administration was hoping for, but still quite impressive.

     The EIA also notes that wind and solar generation are intermittent and that dispatchable generation in the form of coal, natural gas, nuclear, oil, and presumably hydro are at a share of 75% of utility-scale generation for 2025. It was also noted that wind generated more power at 464,000 GWh than solar at 296,000 GWh, although solar capacity saw a larger increase, rising 34% compared to wind’s 3%. However, new solar generation in 2025 was at 26.5 GW, down 22% from 2024, which was at 33.8 GW.

     According to an annual report by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), fourth quarter deployments dropped considerably, with expectations that many of those projects will add to 2026 and 2027 numbers:

“SEIA noted that in the first three quarters of 2025, solar installations remained largely the same year over year, “but in the fourth quarter, volumes fell by nearly 40% year-over-year. By the end of 2025, installations totaled just under 35 GW as many utility-scale projects were delayed into 2026 and 2027.”

“As developers shifted their focus towards safe harbor strategies, there was less urgency to bring late-stage projects online by year end,” SEIA said. “This weakened fourth quarter deployment but created a more robust near-term pipeline for 2026 and 2027.”

     SEIA and Wood Mackenzie think that solar capacity will triple over the next decade, a similar growth rate to what has been occurring. More graphic data from the report is given below.

 

    

 

References:

 

Utility-scale solar and wind hit a record 17% of US generation in 2025: EIA: “Combining utility-scale and small-scale solar generation in 2025 increases the share of wind and solar to 19% of total net generation,” said the Energy Information Administration. Diane DiGangi. Utility Dive. March 25, 2026. Utility-scale solar and wind hit a record 17% of US generation in 2025: EIA | Utility Dive

Solar installations fell 22% in 2025: FERC: “As developers shifted their focus towards safe harbor strategies, there was less urgency to bring late-stage projects online by year end,” the Solar Energy Industries Association said. Diana DiGangi. Utility Dive. April 1, 2026. Solar installations fell 22% in 2025: FERC | Utility Dive

Wind and solar generated a record 17% of U.S. electricity in 2025. Energy Information Administration. March 20, 2026. Wind and solar generated a record 17% of U.S. electricity in 2025 - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

Solar Market Insight Report 2025 Year in Review. Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). March 9, 2026. Solar Market Insight Report 2025 Year in Review – SEIA