The latest Electric Power Monthly report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), covering data through May 2025, shows solar remains the fastest-growing source of electricity in the United States.
In May, utility-scale solar generation (installations >1 MW) rose by 33.3% compared to May 2024. Small-scale solar, such as rooftop systems, increased by 8.9%.
Together, solar accounted for more than 11% of the country’s electricity that month – a 26.4% year-on-year increase.
For the first time, combined utility- and small-scale solar output (38,965 GWh) exceeded wind generation (36,907 GWh).
From January to May 2025, utility-scale solar generation grew by 39.8%, while small-scale solar rose by 10.7%, totalling an overall increase of 31.1% compared to the same period in 2024.
Solar made up 8.4% of the nation’s electricity in the first five months of 2025, up from 6.6% the year prior.
Solar generation also surpassed output from hydropower (6.1%) and now exceeds the combined output of hydropower, biomass, and geothermal sources.
Wind generation accounted for 12.2% of U.S. electricity between January and May 2025, 3.9% more than the previous year and nearly double that of hydropower. Combined, wind and solar provided 20.5% of U.S. electricity in that period, surpassing coal and nuclear.
In May alone, renewables generated 29.7% of U.S. electricity, second only to natural gas, which declined by 5.9% from the previous year.
The report follows EIA’s June findings, which demonstrated that the US’s renewable energy generation reached a record high in 2024. However, eyes on the country’s 2025 changes to its renewable policies, which threaten the US’ clean energy development.
