Solar output tops coal in US for first time

Solar output topped coal generation in the United States for the first time in 2025, with 210 TWh of solar electricity versus 209 TWh of coal, according to the Energy Information Administration's monthly electricity report [EIA]. The EIA recorded a 0.5% margin that flipped the long-standing hierarchy of the nation’s fuel mix. Solar’s share of total generation rose to 12.0% from 9.8% in 2024, while coal fell to 11.9% after a 15% year-over-year output decline [EIA].

The shift reflects 30 GW of new solar capacity installed in 2025, pushing cumulative U.S. solar capacity to 115 GW, according to the agency’s capacity database [EIA]. Operators in the Southwest Interconnection reported a 22% increase in curtailment events during peak solar months, forcing them to dispatch more fast-ramping gas turbines to maintain reliability.

The data shows 45 GW of coal plants scheduled for shutdown by 2030, a pace that outstrips the 30 GW of new solar capacity added in 2025 [EIA]. Investment reports from major utilities indicate a 40% jump in spending on battery storage projects in 2025, driven by the need to smooth solar’s diurnal profile [The Guardian]. Transmission upgrades in Texas and California have been earmarked for $12 billion to accommodate the new solar farms.

Utilities and regulators must invest in storage and flexible gas resources to keep the lights on when the sun sets. The real challenge is building a resilient mix that leverages solar’s growth while safeguarding reliability. Coal’s decline is largely the result of market-driven price erosion and state-level decarbonization mandates, not a sudden technological breakthrough [EIA].