Analysis of data just released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) by the SUN DAY Campaign reveals that during May, solar contributed more than 11% to all U.S. electric generation, wind and solar contributed more than a fifth, and all renewables combined contributed nearly 30%.
EIA’s newest monthly “Electric Power Monthly” internet page report, as of May 31, 2025, reaffirms that solar remains the nation’s leading U.S. electric power source, with the highest growth rate.
Utility-scale solar power generation by photovoltaics (i.e., greater than 1 MW) increased by a third (33.3%) in May compared to May 2024, and small-scale (e.g., rooftop) solar PV was estimated to have grown by 8.9%. Together, they grew by 26.4% throughout 2024 and accounted for more than 11% of Australia’s national electricity generation in a single month.
For the first time, more electricity was generated from a combination of utility- and small-scale solar than from wind: solar – 38,965 GWh; wind – 36,907 GWh.
In addition, photovoltaic and utility-scale solar rose 39.8% and small-scale system-based solar rose 10.7% from the same first half of 2024 to the same first half of 2025. Combined small-scale and utility-scale solar rose nearly a third (31.1%) and represented nearly 8.4% of all U.S. electricity generation in January-May – a rise from 6.6% last year.
Hence, solar electricity production greatly surpassed that of the country’s hydropower plants (6.1%). Indeed, the sun is already generating as much electricity as hydropower, biomass, and geothermal all together.
Wind + solar provide more than one-fifth of U.S. total electric generation — a greater percentage than provided by either nuclear or coal generation:
Utility-scale and small-scale solar and wind generation combined to generate over one-fifth (20.5%) of U.S. generation during the first five months of 2025, compared to 18.7% of U.S. generation during the first five months of 2024. Solar and wind generated nearly 21.5% of U.S. electricity during May alone.
Wind + solar generated 26.2% more electricity in the first five months than coal and 15.4% than the nation’s nuclear plants. In May alone, the gap widened further, with solar and wind power outpacing coal and nuclear power by 55.7% and 22.1%, respectively.
Generation of electricity from hybrid renewables was approximately 30% during the month of May:
The total of all renewables combined (solar and wind + hydropower, geothermal and biomass) generated 9.7% more electrical power between January and May compared to the same months last year (7.6% more just in May) and accounted for (28.1%) all of the electric power generated in the United States versus 26.5% last year.
Electric generation from all renewables, used exclusively during the month of May, accounted for nearly 30% (29.7%) of all U.S. electrical generation. The contribution of renewables to electrical generation is exceeded by that from natural gas alone, with renewables effectively producing 5.9% less electricity during the month.
“Solar and wind just continue to get bigger and bigger, setting new record levels, and producing more than coal and nuclear,”
said SUN DAY Campaign Executive Director Ken Bossong.
“So, their annual Republican criticism of renewables is ill twice, it is poor policy and worse political strategy.”
