In January and February 2025, solar and wind energy surged to dominate the U.S. power landscape, comprising an astounding 98% of new capacity. Dive into the latest FERC report to uncover the transformative growth of renewables and their pivotal role in the energy transition. Stay updated on the future of clean energy and its promising potential for a sustainable tomorrow!
Clean Energy Leads: Solar and wind made up 97.6% of new U.S. power capacity in January–February 2025.
Solar on Top: Solar has led monthly capacity growth for 18 straight months
Renewables Near One-Third: Renewables now make up 31.5% of total utility-scale U.S. capacity.
Strong Growth Ahead: FERC projects nearly 90 GW of new solar over the next 3 years.
FERC: Solar and Wind Accounted for 98% of New U.S. Power Capacity in Jan–Feb 2025
According to the latest “Energy Infrastructure Update” report released by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), nearly 97.6% of the new electricity generating capacity added in the United States during January and February 2025 came from renewable sources—primarily solar and wind.
In February alone, 1,514 megawatts (MW) of new solar capacity were installed, representing 81.1% of the month’s total additions. Wind followed with 266 MW (14.3%), while natural gas contributed just 87 MW.
Solar power has dominated new capacity additions for 18 consecutive months since September 2023, accounting for 73.3% of new capacity in the first two months of 2025.
Currently, utility-scale solar and wind energy make up 10.7% and 11.8% of the U.S.’s total generating capacity, respectively, amounting to a combined 22.5%. When including small-scale solar systems such as rooftop installations (which represent approximately 30% of all solar capacity), the total share of solar and wind exceeds 25%.
Looking ahead, FERC projects “high-probability” additions of 89,497 MW of solar capacity between March 2025 and February 2028—almost four times the 22,890 MW expected from wind. If realized, solar would represent 16.3% of U.S. utility-scale capacity by early 2028, surpassing coal (12.4%) and far exceeding nuclear and hydropower.
Despite recent policy shifts and uncertainty, renewable energy growth in the U.S. remains strong. Solar is on track to potentially surpass natural gas as the nation’s primary source of power generation within the next few years.