Full Breakdown
Solar and Battery Storage Lead U.S. Energy Growth as Fossil Fuels Stagnate
12/2/2025, 2:08:45 PM
Dominance of Solar and Battery Storage
Recent data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), analyzed by the SUN DAY Campaign, reveals that solar power and battery storage are driving significant growth in the U.S. energy sector, while fossil fuels and nuclear power are experiencing stagnation. In September 2025, utility-scale solar generation surged by over 36.1% compared to September 2024, while small-scale solar, such as rooftop systems, increased by 12.7%. Together, these sources contributed 9.7% of the total U.S. electricity output for the month, up from 7.6% a year earlier.
Throughout the first nine months of 2025, utility-scale solar capacity grew by 35.8%, and small-scale solar rose by 11.2%, leading to a combined increase of 29.0%. This growth resulted in solar power providing over 9.0% of total U.S. electrical generation, compared to 7.2% during the same period in 2024. Notably, utility-scale solar has outperformed wind generation for three consecutive months, producing 4% more electricity than wind in July, 15% more in August, and 9% more in September.
Comparative Performance of Energy Sources
In the first nine months of 2025, wind power contributed 9.8% of U.S. electricity, marking a 1.3% increase from the previous year. When combined, wind and solar accounted for 18.8% of total electricity generation, surpassing coal by 15.1% and nuclear power by 9.8%. Despite the growth in renewables, nuclear power output slightly declined by 0.1%.
The overall share of renewable energy, which includes wind, solar, hydropower, biomass, and geothermal, rose to 25.6% of total U.S. electricity production, up from 24.2% a year earlier. In contrast, natural gas, the largest power source, saw a 3.8% decrease in output during the same period.
Capacity Additions and Future Projections
From October 2024 to September 2025, utility-scale solar capacity expanded by 31,619.5 megawatts (MW), while small-scale solar added 5,923.5 MW. Battery storage capacity also saw substantial growth, increasing by 59.4% and adding 13,808.9 MW. In comparison, fossil fuels and nuclear power experienced minimal growth, with natural gas capacity rising by only 3,417.1 MW and nuclear power increasing by a mere 46 MW. Coal capacity fell by 3,926.1 MW, and oil-based capacity decreased by 606.6 MW.
The EIA projects that the trend toward renewable energy will continue, with an anticipated increase of 67,806.1 MW in utility-scale renewables and battery storage over the next year. In contrast, natural gas is expected to add only 3,835.8 MW, while coal is projected to decline by 5,857 MW, and nuclear power is not expected to see any new capacity growth.
Official Statements and Responses
Ken Bossong, executive director of the SUN DAY Campaign, commented on the data, stating, “The Trump Administration’s efforts to jump-start nuclear power and fossil fuels are not succeeding. Capacity additions from solar, wind, and battery storage continue to dramatically outpace those from gas, coal, and nuclear, and by growing margins.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “Capacity additions from solar, wind, and battery storage continue to dramatically outpace those from gas, coal, and nuclear, and by growing margins.” — Ken Bossong, Executive Director, SUN DAY Campaign
This data illustrates a clear shift toward cleaner energy sources, highlighting the rapid rise of solar power and battery storage as major contributors to the U.S. electricity system.
