According to the latest Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) data reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign, solar and wind energy accounted for nearly 98% of new U.S. power generation capacity added in the first quarter of 2025. Notably, March’s additions were entirely renewable, with solar leading as the largest new energy source for the 19th consecutive month.
In FERC’s March 2025 “Energy Infrastructure Update” (data through March 31, 2025), 446 megawatts (MW) of new solar capacity and the 223.9-MW Shamrock Wind and Storage project in Crockett County, Texas, collectively represented 100% of March’s新增 (newly added) capacity.
For Q1 2025, solar and wind combined added 7,076 MW, accounting for 97.8% of new capacity. Natural gas contributed just 2.0% (147 MW), while oil accounted for 0.2% (11 MW).
Solar Dominance Persists
- March Contribution: Solar represented 66.6% (two-thirds) of March’s new capacity and 72.3% in Q1.
- Streak Continues: Solar has been the largest monthly capacity addition since September 2023, maintaining its 19-month streak.
Wind Performance
Wind accounted for 33.4% (one-third) of March’s additions and 25.5% in Q1.
Currently, solar (10.7%) and wind (11.8%) collectively represent 22.5% of U.S. utility-scale installed capacity. Including small-scale (e.g., rooftop) solar systems—which FERC does not track but account for ~30% of U.S. solar capacity—the combined share exceeds 25%.
Renewables ExpansionIncluding hydropower (7.7%), biomass (1.1%), and geothermal (0.3%), centralized renewables total 31.5%. With small-scale solar, renewables approach one-third of total capacity.
In 2015, centralized renewables accounted for 16.9% (solar: 1.0%, wind: 5.7%). Over a decade, wind capacity doubled, while solar surged over tenfold.
FERC Projections (April 2025–March 2028)
Solar is projected to add 89,452 MW (high-probability forecast), more than quadrupling wind’s 22,109 MW.
Hydropower and geothermal are expected to grow by 596 MW and 92 MW, respectively, while biomass declines by 130 MW.
Over the next three years, coal and oil capacity are forecast to decline by 24,372 MW and 2,108 MW, respectively, while natural gas adds just 1,738 MW.
Considering capacity factors (gas: 59.7%, wind: 34.3%, utility-scale solar: 23.4%), new solar output will be at least 20 times that of gas, while wind output will exceed gas by sevenfold.
If projections hold, solar will reach 16.3% of utility-scale capacity and wind 12.6% by April 2028, both surpassing coal (12.4%) and trailing only natural gas. Utility-scale solar could overtake coal and wind to become the second-largest source within two years.
With centralized renewables growing ~2% annually, their share could reach 37.5% by 2028, narrowing the gap with gas (40.2%). Including small-scale solar, renewables could exceed 40%, pushing gas to 37%.
FERC data further indicate potential additions of 223,620 MW for solar and 66,368 MW for wind over the next three years, compared to just 29,912 MW for gas—suggesting further gains for renewables.
This surge in solar and wind capacity underscores a rapid shift toward cleaner energy, with FERC’s projections highlighting their dominance in U.S. power generation through 2028.
