Overview
- FERC reports 2,014 MW of solar came online in September, marking 25 consecutive months with solar as the top source of new capacity and 98% of that month’s additions.
- EIA data show September solar generation rose 29.9% year over year to 9.7% of U.S. electricity, with utility-scale solar outproducing wind for a third straight month.
- U.S. battery storage capacity grew 59.4% over the past year, adding 13,809 MW, and developers plan about 22,053 MW more over the next 12 months, with large clusters in California and Texas.
- Across the year ending in September, renewables plus storage added about 56,020 MW of capacity as fossil fuels and nuclear registered a net decline of roughly 1,095 MW, according to EIA figures.
- FERC’s three-year high-probability outlook projects 90,614 MW of net solar additions through September 2028, positioning utility-scale solar near 17% of installed capacity, second only to natural gas.