On August 1, 2025, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that the United States added 22,332 megawatts (MW) of new electric generating capacity during the first half of 2025. The overwhelming majority of this new capacity came from utility-scale solar, battery storage, and onshore wind—while no new coal or nuclear plants were brought online during this period.
The expansion was largely driven by utility-scale solar projects and battery storage systems that complement intermittent wind generation. This marks a significant moment in the transition toward clean energy, as renewable sources become the dominant form of new power generation in the United States. Market dynamics have played a major role, with declining technology costs, faster construction timelines, and increasing demand from sectors like artificial intelligence and data centers influencing the energy mix.
Despite some recent federal policy shifts that appear to favor fossil fuels, the momentum behind renewable deployment has been fueled by projects initiated years earlier. Many of these projects benefited from supportive tax incentives, streamlined permitting, and long-term purchase agreements. As a result, the energy landscape is being shaped by market realities that continue to favor clean energy.
According to the EIA, a total of 63 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale capacity is expected to be added in 2025, marking a 30 percent increase over 2024’s record-setting 48.6 GW. Solar is projected to make up more than half of that capacity, while battery storage is expected to add 18.2 GW, and onshore wind 7.7 GW. Natural gas will account for a much smaller portion, adding 4.4 GW. Coal and nuclear are entirely absent from the new capacity pipeline for the year.
This shift is likely to continue through the end of the decade. The EIA anticipates that solar generation will grow by 34 percent in 2025 and another 17 percent in 2026. These figures signal a long-term structural realignment away from traditional power sources and toward low-carbon alternatives.
Simultaneously, fossil fuel retirements are accelerating. In 2025, the U.S. plans to retire 8.1 GW of coal-fired power generation—more than double the 4 GW retired in 2024. Total planned retirements for 2025 amount to 12.3 GW, with coal accounting for two-thirds of that total and natural gas for another 21 percent. The retirement of coal plants is expected to further reduce coal’s share in the national electricity mix. The EIA projects that coal generation will fall by about 18 percent, from 665 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2023 to 548 billion kWh by the end of 2025.
The growth of renewables is also evident in the broader generation landscape. In 2024, wind and solar together accounted for 17 percent of U.S. electricity generation, surpassing coal for the first time, which made up 15 percent. Solar generation alone increased by 27 percent year-over-year, outpacing hydroelectric power and contributing significantly more growth than natural gas.
Globally, the trend is similar. The International Energy Agency forecasts that renewables and nuclear power will meet nearly all new electricity demand through 2027, with renewables eventually surpassing coal as the primary global energy source.
These developments highlight a fundamental shift in the U.S. power sector. Renewable energy sources, once considered supplementary, have now become the standard for new generation. Battery storage, which was previously a niche technology, has gained a central role in ensuring grid reliability and integrating more variable renewable resources. Meanwhile, the steady decline in coal use and the absence of new nuclear capacity reflect a changing calculus in utility planning.
The addition of 22,332 MW in the first half of 2025 reflects more than just a capacity milestone—it signals a decisive move toward a cleaner, more sustainable energy system. As the energy transition accelerates, the infrastructure and investment choices made today will shape the nation’s energy future for decades to come.
