Environment & Climate
Solar eclipses coal in US power output in May
Jalopnik reports solar and storage supplied 91 percent of new US grid capacity in the first quarter of 2026, amid rapid global growth.
The short version
- Solar and storage accounted for 91 percent of new US grid capacity in the first quarter of 2026, per Jalopnik.[Jalopnik]
- Solar also eclipsed coal in total US power output in May, a first for the country.[Jalopnik]
- Globally, solar reached 100 gigawatts in 2012 and is projected to hit 9 terawatts by 2036.[Jalopnik]
- The report also cites $83 billion in US clean energy investments killed or delayed by the Trump administration.[Jalopnik]
Key facts
- The entire world reached a combined 100 gigawatts of solar power in 2012.[Jalopnik]
- Current projections put global solar power at 9 terawatts by 2036.[Jalopnik]
- Solar and storage made up 91 percent of all new US grid capacity in the first quarter of 2026.[Jalopnik]
- In May, solar eclipsed coal in total US power output for the month, a first for the nation.[Jalopnik]
- In 2026, Texas overtook California in utility-scale solar output.[Jalopnik]
- In June, the European Union got 25 percent of its power from solar.[Jalopnik]
- Having solar supply 25 percent of EU power has saved the bloc about $42 billion in gas surcharges.[Jalopnik]
What remains uncertain
- The 9-terawatt figure for 2036 is a projection, not an observed result.[Jalopnik]
- The article links a 0.5 percent drop in global emissions to the closed Strait of Hormuz, but this causal link is not independently confirmed in the provided reporting.[Jalopnik]
- Only Jalopnik reported these figures, and no independent confirmation was available in the provided sources.[Jalopnik]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.