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Then vs. Now (News report): Then: The US Energy Information Administration released its Electric Power Monthly with data for August 2026 on October 23, 2026. Now: Electrek reports that the data show renewable generation up 10.2% year over year from January to August 2026, with coal output down 8.7%.
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) released its Electric Power Monthly with data for August 2026 on October 23, 2026 (EIA). Electrek reported on October 27, 2026 that renewably generated electricity during the first two-thirds of 2026 was 10.2% greater than a year earlier, based on the EIA report and a review by the SUN DAY Campaign (Electrek).
Key Facts
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Renewable generation, January to August 2026 | Up 10.2% year over year | Electrek |
| Renewable share of US generation | 28.1%, up from 26.2% a year earlier | Electrek |
| Renewable capacity added, September 2025 to August 2026 | 43,497.9 MW | Electrek |
| Utility-scale battery capacity added | 17,586.9 MW | Electrek |
| Coal generation | Down 8.7% | Electrek |
Timeline
- 2026-10-23: The EIA released the Electric Power Monthly with data for August 2026 (EIA).
- 2026-10-27: Electrek published its report on the EIA data (Electrek).
Details (as Reported)
Electrek reported that growth was led by utility-scale solar, up 20.0%, followed by small-scale solar at 12.0%, wind at 7.8%, hydropower at 4.2% and geothermal at 3.8% (Electrek). From January to August 2026, wind produced 333,367 GWh, or 10.6% of total US generation, while utility-scale and small-scale solar combined produced 329,119 GWh, or 10.5% (Electrek).
Output from natural gas and nuclear plants grew by 2.6% and 1.3% respectively, while coal output fell by 8.7% (Electrek).
On capacity, Electrek reported that utility-scale solar grew by 27,141.7 MW between September 1, 2025, and August 31, 2026, while small-scale solar grew by 6,526.1 MW and wind by 9,979.1 MW, including 800 MW of offshore wind (Electrek). Coal capacity fell by 2,703.4 MW, nuclear capacity was unchanged and natural gas capacity rose by 5,316.0 MW over the same period (Electrek).
Electrek reported that the EIA projects utility-scale renewables to add 53,117.3 MW over the next twelve months, with utility-scale solar adding 44,603.1 MW and wind adding 8,312.3 MW, including 3,355.0 MW of offshore wind (Electrek). The EIA projects no new nuclear capacity and a net decline of 1,997.0 MW in fossil fuel capacity (Electrek). It also foresees battery storage adding 23,656.2 MW by September 1, 2027, bringing the total to 77,753.2 MW (Electrek).
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What Is Not Yet Confirmed
- The EIA does not provide a forecast for small-scale solar capacity growth over the next twelve months, and the SUN DAY Campaign assumes an additional 6,000 MW or more (Electrek).
- Electrek reported that, if small-scale solar grows by about 6,000 MW by September 1, 2027, renewable installed capacity would reach about 550,000 MW against a projected 518,312.8 MW for natural gas (Electrek).
- The EIA lists its next Electric Power Monthly release as November 24, 2026 (EIA).
Sources
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