According to the US Energy Information Administration, renewable energy capacity is set to reach 40.4% of total US generating capacity within the coming year, rising from 37.7%. This growth will allow renewables to surpass natural gas capacity and exceed nuclear capacity fivefold.
Data through August 31, 2026, shows that renewable electricity generation grew by 10.2% year-over-year during the first eight months of 2026. Utility-scale solar output increased by 20.0%, small-scale solar by 12.0%, wind by 7.8%, hydropower by 4.2%, and geothermal by 3.8%.
Between September 2025 and August 2026, utility-scale solar capacity grew by 27,141.7 MW, while battery storage added 17,586.9 MW. In contrast, natural gas capacity rose by 5,316.0 MW, coal capacity fell by 2,703.4 MW, and nuclear capacity remained unchanged.
The EIA projects that by August 31, 2027, utility-scale renewables will add 53,117.3 MW of new capacity. Meanwhile, fossil fuel capacity is expected to decline by 1,997.0 MW, with no new nuclear capacity projected for the same period.
By late summer 2027, the combination of utility-scale renewables and battery storage is expected to provide 76,773.5 MW of new capacity. Including small-scale solar, total new generating capacity could reach 82.8 GW.
