Clean energy, particularly wind and solar, has seen significant growth in the US, with generation climbing 10% in the first half of 2026, exceeding both coal and nuclear power in the country's electricity mix. This growth occurred despite former President Donald Trump's administration actively working to undercut renewables by ending tax credits, restricting development on public lands, and promoting fossil fuels.
Solar energy has been a primary driver of this surge, with record installations in 2024 (31 GW) and 2025 (29 GW), and an additional 9 GW installed through May 2026. This resilience is attributed to the low cost and ease of building solar projects, which have somewhat shielded the industry from policy challenges in Washington. Wind and solar collectively accounted for 20% of US electricity generation in the first half of 2026, up from 18.6% in the same period of 2025.
While coal generation dropped 10% to 323 TWh and natural gas remained flat at 767 TWh, nuclear output increased by 2% to 390 TWh. The clean energy boom comes even as Trump's administration implemented measures such as pausing permits for wind projects, ordering stop-work on offshore wind farms, and cancelling a large solar project. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed by Trump, phased out a longstanding tax credit for clean energy projects starting July 4.
Despite these headwinds, industry experts like Timothy Fox of ClearView Energy Partners note the continued growth of renewables, irrespective of the Trump administration's preferences. However, concerns remain about sustained growth as tax credits phase out and power demand, fueled by data centers and AI, increases. Helen Kou from BloombergNEF suggests that while installations will likely remain strong through 2027, the market may face a "painful adjustment" afterward until the 2030s.
Forecasts from the American Clean Power Association predict a record 60 GW of new solar, battery storage, and wind capacity to be added in 2026, a 20% increase from 2025. This indicates that while policy uncertainty has caused some smaller companies to struggle and projects to face delays, the overall demand, particularly from data centers, continues to drive investment in the clean energy sector.
