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Environment & Energy

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Caribbeans

(1,335 posts)
Thu Jun 11, 2026, 09:57 PM Jun 11

Solar generates more energy in US than coal for first time [View all]



Solar generates more energy in US than coal for first time

Solar supplied 12.8% of US electricity in May even as Trump boosts coal over clean energy

Associated Press/The Guardian | Thu 11 Jun 2026

Even as Donald Trump boosts coal over clean energy, solar power is hitting new milestones in the US and remains the leading source of new power.

Data released on Wednesday by the global energy thinktank Ember, along with a report by the Solar Energy Industries Association (Seia) and analytics firm Wood Mackenzie, show the continued growth of solar and decline of coal in the United States despite federal policy. In May, for the first time, solar supplied more of the nation’s electricity than coal, or 12.8%, Ember said. Coal supplied 12.2%, its fourth-lowest monthly share ever.

“For years solar power has risen in the US electricity mix,” said Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy and data analyst at Ember. “At the same time, coal power has lost its status, first as the largest source in the US mix, and then gradually over the years has fallen even further.”

Solar also became the third-largest source of electricity in the US in May, behind natural gas and nuclear, Fulghum said. Coal generation hit an all-time monthly low in April and rebounded only modestly in May, allowing increasing solar generation to overtake coal, he added...more
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/11/solar-energy-us-coal

"junk" ROFL
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Great news! Permanut Jun 11 #1
That is rather meaningless, since the matter is not how much but WHEN. NNadir Jun 11 #2
"Rather meaningless!?" OKIsItJustMe Jun 11 #5
Garbage? thought crime Jun 12 #6
Coal is another way to say "buggy whips." NoMoreRepugs Jun 11 #3
More here OKIsItJustMe Jun 11 #4
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