Solar power has reached a significant milestone in the U.S., overtaking coal in power generation in May. This marks the first time the renewable source has bested the fossil fuel in a calendar month, and solar remains the leading source of new power.
These developments occur even as President Donald Trump boosts coal over clean energy. States won by Trump in the 2024 election accounted for 74 percent of all solar capacity installed in the first quarter of 2026.
The findings, supported by a report from the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie, highlight solar’s continued growth and coal’s ongoing decline.