Electrek reports that solar supplied 12.8% of U.S. electricity in May 2026, beating coal's 12.2% for the first month on record, according to analysis from Ember. Five years ago, coal generated nearly 20% of U.S. electricity in May, and solar was just 5.4%. Solar hit a record 45.5 terawatt-hours last month, and another record should arrive this summer.
Solar output usually peaks in June or July, but its share of the electricity mix is often highest in spring, when strong sunshine lines up with milder temperatures before summer cooling demand ramps up.
May was also the first time solar became the third-largest individual source of electricity in the US, behind only natural gas and nuclear. (If solar is included with all other renewables, then they're the second-largest source of electricity as an overall category of electricity.)
Meanwhile, coal keeps sliding (and will continue to slide).
Coal generation hit an all-time monthly low of 39.3 TWh in April 2026. Output rose slightly in May to 43.4 TWh, but it was still 11% lower than May 2025 levels.
Even with that small rebound, coal couldn't keep pace with solar's rapid growth.
Electrek
The fossil fuel lobby has not yet figured out how to primary the Sun.
Previously:
• What Fukushima can teach us about coal pollution
• AOC is going to Appalachia to talk to coal miners
• Meet Coalie, the cute mascot of 'Beautiful, Clean Coal'
