According to the latest analysis by Ember, a global energy think tank, in May 2026, solar power generation in the United States exceeded coal-fired power generation for the first time in a single month, marking a historic turning point in the U.S. power structure. Data show that in May 2026, solar power generation accounted for 12.8% of U.S. power generation, while coal-fired power generation accounted for 12.2%.
Just five years ago in May 2019, coal-fired power generation accounted for 19.7% of U.S. power generation, while solar power generation was only 5.4%. In comparison, this change is considered a "dramatic shift" in the U.S. power structure.
Statistics from Ember show that in May 2026, U.S. solar power generation hit a record high of 45.5 terawatt hours (TWh), an increase of 17% from May 2025 and exceeding the previous record set in July 2025. The agency predicts that U.S. solar power generation is expected to set another record this summer.
Judging from seasonal patterns, solar power generation in the United States usually reaches its peak power generation in June or July every year, but its proportion in the power structure is often highest in spring. The reason is that the sunshine is strong at this time, and the electricity demand has not yet increased significantly due to the increase in cooling load in summer, so the proportion of solar energy in the overall electricity consumption has relatively increased.
May 2026 also became the first time that solar energy ranked among the top three single power sources in the United States, becoming the third largest single source of electricity after natural gas and nuclear power. When solar energy is combined with other renewable energy sources, renewable energy overall has become the second largest source of electricity in the United States.
In sharp contrast to the rapid growth of solar energy, coal power continues to decline and is expected to decline further. In April 2026, U.S. coal power generation dropped to 39.3 terawatt hours, a record low in a single month. Coal power recovered slightly to 43.4 TWh in May 2026, but is still 11% below May 2025 levels. Even with this small rebound, the growth rate of coal power is still far from catching up with the rapid expansion of solar power.