New forecast: solar, wind and battery storage to dominate in 2026

Virtually all net new electrical generating capacity in 2026 will be provided by solar, wind, and batteries according to a new forecast released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Utility-scale renewables plus battery storage are projected to increase by nearly 70,000 MW – roughly equivalent to the generation capacity of 70 nuclear power plants.

Should the renewable energy growth forecasted by EIA materialize and small-scale solar adoption remain roughly steady from what it was in preceding months, by November 30, 2026 electricity production from renewable energy in America will come close to rivaling that of gas, and account for over 36% of U.S. generating capacity. 

“America has abundant renewable energy resources that we can harness more efficiently and effectively than ever before in human history,” said Johanna Neumann, Senior Director of the Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy for Environment America Research & Policy Center. “The sooner we harness the pollution-free energy of the sun and the wind to power our lives, the better it will be for our environment and our health.”