The latest data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reveals that the mix of renewable energy sources produced over one-quarter of the nation’s electrical generation in the first three months of 2025 and provided nearly one-third of total U.S. electrical generation in March specifically.
Credit: ForeFront Power
Utility-scale solar expanded by 43.9% while estimated small-scale/rooftop solar PV increased by 11.1% during the first quarter of 2025 compared to same period in 2024. The combination of utility-scale and small-scale solar increased by over one-third (33.7%) and was almost 6.8% of total U.S. electrical generation for January through March — up from 5.3% a year earlier. This means solar-generated electricity surpassed the output of the nation’s hydropower plants (5.7%).
Moreover, in March alone, electrical generation by utility-scale solar increased by 45.6% while that from small-scale systems rose by 13.0%. Combined, they provided 9.1% of the nation’s electrical output during the month. This is based on a review of the data by the SUN DAY Campaign.
Wind also got off to a strong start in 2025, producing 9.5% more electricity in the first three months of 2025 than the year before. That output was nearly one-eighth (12.2%) of total U.S. electrical generation and more than double that produced by the nation’s hydropower plants. In March alone, wind-generated electricity increased by 11.1% and provided over one-seventh (14.8%) of the nation’s electricity supply.
In the first quarter of 2025, electrical generation by wind plus utility-scale and small-scale solar provided nearly one-fifth (19.0%) of the U.S. total, up from 17.0% during the first three months of 2024. In just the month of March, solar plus wind accounted for almost one-fourth (23.9%) of U.S. electrical output.
During the first three months of this year, the combination of wind and solar provided 6.8% more electricity than did coal and 6.0% more than the nation’s nuclear power plants. In March alone, the gap increased significantly when solar + wind outproduced coal and nuclear power by 66.5% and 31.0%, respectively.
The mix of all renewables produced 10.5% more electricity in Q1 than they did a year ago (12.5% more in March alone) and provided over one-quarter (26.1%) of total U.S. electricity production compared to 24.8% one year earlier. Electrical generation by the combination of all renewables in March alone reached a new record and provided almost one-third (31.9%) of total U.S. electrical generation. Moreover, for the first time, it came close to that of natural gas (34.8%) whose electrical output dropped by 8.9%.
The mix of renewables has strengthened its position as the second largest source of electrical generation, behind only natural gas — with the gap closing rapidly.
“Renewable energy sources, led by solar and wind, are clearly outpacing fossil fuels and nuclear power,” noted the SUN DAY Campaign’s executive director Ken Bossong. “It therefore defies logic that the Trump Administration and the Republican Congress would be making efforts to curtail that growth in favor of dirtier and more expensive technologies.”
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