Solar Surges Past Coal
U.S. Solar Power Generates More Electricity Than Coal for First Time in May
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Key Points
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Ember said the May crossover was also backed by absolute generation levels: solar produced an all-time high of 45.5 terawatt-hours (TWh), compared with 43.4 TWh from coal.
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Coal’s May performance reflected a longer downward streak: Ember reported May was coal’s fourth-lowest monthly share on record, after coal hit an all-time monthly low in April (with coal generation at 39.3 TWh), followed by only a modest rebound in May—enough for solar to cross.
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Solar’s growth is tied to capacity buildout rather than short spikes: the Solar Energy Industries Association data cited by Ember/partners said solar has been the leading source of new U.S. power capacity for five straight years, and that in Q1 2026 “solar and battery storage together accounted for 91% of all new generating capacity being built.”
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The Trump administration’s coal push included highly specific Department of Energy actions: the DOE awarded $500 million to 13 coal plants to help keep them operating longer, and kept multiple plants on the grid (including in Michigan, Indiana, Colorado, Washington and Florida). The funding also included line-item grants such as $51 million for the Mitchell plant in West Virginia (cooling tower work) and $90 million for East Kentucky Power to support fuel flexibility at its Spurlock and Cooper plants.
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Ember noted a broader renewables milestone alongside the solar-vs-coal crossover: electricity produced by all renewable sources combined “passed what was generated by gas for the first time.”
For the first time in U.S. history, solar power beat coal in monthly electricity generation. Ember reported that solar produced 12.8% of the nation's electricity in May 2026, while coal fell to 12.2%. In raw terms, solar generated 45.5 terawatt-hours — coal managed just 43.4.
The milestone arrived while the Trump administration was actively spending $500 million to keep coal plants alive. Despite those efforts, analysts say solar's rise is structural — driven by sheer volume of new installations, not weather or seasonal luck.
Coal's Record Lows Made the Crossover Possible
Coal didn't just lose ground in May — it had been collapsing for months. Ember said April 2026 was coal's worst month on record, with generation dropping to just 39.3 TWh. May was coal's fourth-lowest monthly share ever. A modest rebound in May wasn't enough to hold off solar.
Coal's long decline is the backdrop. It provided nearly 50% of U.S. electricity in 2005. By May 2026, that share had fallen to 12.2%. Most coal plants are over 40 years old, making them expensive to run compared to new solar arrays with zero fuel costs.
Solar Built This Lead Over Five Years, Not Five Months
Solar's win in May wasn't a spike — it was the payoff from years of steady buildout. The Solar Energy Industries Association said solar has been the top source of new U.S. power capacity for five straight years. In just the first three months of 2026, solar and battery storage together made up 91% of all new generating capacity added to the grid.
Ember Senior Analyst Nicolas Fulghum called it "a structural shift, not a seasonal fluke." Solar is now the third-largest source of U.S. electricity, behind natural gas and nuclear. SEIA CEO Abigail Ross Hopper said the milestone "was inevitable because the economics of solar are now undeniable."
Trump's $500 Million Coal Rescue Didn't Stop the Slide
On May 15, the Department of Energy announced $500 million in grants to 13 coal plants. The money went to facilities in Michigan, Indiana, Colorado, Washington, and Florida. Specific line items included $51 million to the Mitchell plant in West Virginia for cooling tower repairs and $90 million to East Kentucky Power for its Spurlock and Cooper plants.
A DOE spokesperson defended the spending, saying the priority is "baseload power" and that "intermittent sources" cannot be allowed to compromise grid reliability. But analysts at BloombergNEF argue the grants are a "bridge to nowhere" — they fix physical problems but don't change the basic math. Solar's fuel cost is zero. Coal's is not.
Renewables Also Passed Natural Gas — a Bigger Surprise
The solar-coal crossover wasn't even the only milestone in May. Ember found that all renewable sources combined — solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal — generated more electricity than natural gas for the first time ever in a single month. That is a far bigger benchmark, since gas has dominated U.S. power generation for years.
Analysts expect solar to beat coal more often going forward, and possibly on a full-year basis as soon as 2027. Star-Telegram noted that Texas alone is leading the country in solar growth, adding to a national pipeline that is now almost entirely renewables-driven. The federal push to prop up coal, experts say, is slowing the decline — but not reversing it.
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