US Grid Goes Green: EIA Says 2026 Will Be All Renewables, Baby!

TL;DR: Get ready, America, because the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) just dropped a forecast that'll make your clean energy heart sing: all net new generating capacity in 2026 is projected to come from renewables and batteries! Wind and solar are already clobbering coal, and the future is looking mighty green.

Meta: The EIA forecasts that all net new electricity generating capacity in the U.S. in 2026 will be provided solely by renewable energy sources and battery storage, continuing strong growth seen in 2025.

Alright, alright, gather 'round, 'cause this ain't no small talk; this is big news for the future of power in America! The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) just pulled back the curtain, and what they're showing us for 2026 is a future so bright, you gotta wear shades. They're projecting that all net new electricity generating capacity in the U.S. next year will come from renewables and batteries. You heard that right: all of it! That's like the clean energy team scoring a touchdown, a field goal, and then running the whole ball game. Boom!

Solar and Storage Lead the Charge

If 2025 was any indication, this isn't just wishful thinking. The first 10 months of this year saw solar and battery storage absolutely dominate growth among energy sources. Utility-scale solar generation jumped 23.3% compared to last year, and even small-scale rooftop solar grew by 12.6%. Combined, they supplied over 9% of our electricity, up from 7.2% a year ago. We're talking serious wattage, folks!

Battery storage? It's been an explosion! A 45% increase in new capacity since the beginning of the year, with another 56% projected for the next 12 months. It's like the grid is getting a super-sized power bank. And let's not forget wind power, which produced nearly 10% of US electricity in the first 10 months of 2025. Together, wind and solar weren't just playing; they were winning, providing 16.6% more electricity than coal and 10.8% more than nuclear plants during that period. Coal's plummeting, natural gas is dropping, and nuclear? Zero growth. It's a changing of the guard, baby!

A Clean Energy Takeover

By the end of 2025, the mix of all renewables (wind, solar, hydro, biomass, geothermal) accounted for 25.7% of total US electricity production, up from 24.3% the year before. That's a quarter of our power coming from clean sources! And if the EIA's forecast for 2026 holds, renewables and battery storage will add a whopping 68,528 MW of utility-scale capacity. By October 2026, renewables could make up over 36% of US generating capacity, almost matching natural gas. Solar capacity alone could surpass wind and more than double nuclear power.

Even with some political roadblocks trying to slow things down, the momentum is undeniable. This isn't just about saving the planet; it's about building a more resilient, diverse, and ultimately cheaper power grid. As Ken Bossong, executive director of the SUN DAY Campaign, put it, "growth by renewable energy sources and battery storage has greatly outpaced fossil fuels and nuclear power." You ain't lying, Ken!

What's Next

This forecast means a greener, more stable energy future is arriving faster than many expected. Expect continued investment in solar and battery projects, and a likely acceleration of grid modernization efforts to integrate this new capacity. While policy can influence the pace, the economic and environmental drivers for renewables are too strong to ignore. The shift is happening, and it's full steam ahead for clean power. Get ready to plug in, America, because the future's so bright, you'll need shades! You heard it here first. And it's a beautiful thing.