Developers are on track to make 2025 a record year for new electric generation in the United States, with solar power expected to dominate capacity growth.
More than half of all new additions this year could come from solar installations, underscoring the rapid transformation of the nation’s energy mix.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) revealed that 12 gigawatts (GW) of utility-scale solar were connected to the grid during the first half of the year.
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Plans for another 21 GW in the second half would bring the total to 33 GW for 2025, a milestone that would place solar far ahead of other technologies, EIA reports.
If developer timelines hold, solar will represent over 50% of the 64 GW of new capacity planned for 2025.
This would eclipse the previous national record for new generating capacity, set in 2002 when natural gas made up almost all of the 58 GW that came online. Unlike that year, today’s expansion is driven by renewables and battery systems rather than fossil fuels.
Texas has emerged as the leading state for solar development. Nearly 27% of the solar capacity added so far this year was in Texas, and developers expect to bring nearly 10 GW more online in the state before the end of 2025.
This trend has allowed Texas to surpass California as the country’s largest solar market. Battery projects are also breaking records.
In the first half of 2025, 5.9 GW of battery storage came online, accounting for just over one-quarter of total additions.
Developers expect to add 7 GW more this year, with Texas, Arizona, and California leading the buildout. If completed, 2025 will set an all-time high for storage deployment.
Plant retirements have been modest compared with additions. Only 2 GW of capacity was retired in the first six months of the year.
Some retirements that were scheduled for 2025, including several coal and oil plants in Maryland and a natural gas plant in Texas, have been delayed or canceled. Coal units still account for the majority of closures expected by year’s end.
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