Solar power drove most of US electricity demand growth in 2025
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Solar power was responsible for meeting two‑thirds of the growth in electricity demand in the US in 2025, a new analysis shows, highlighting the expanding role of solar PV and energy storage as electricity needs rise across the country.
According to a report from the energy think tank Ember, solar photovoltaic generation increased by about 83 terawatt hours last year, a year‑on‑year increase of 27 percent. Electricity demand in the US rose by 3.1 percent over the same period. Solar’s expansion supplied 61 percent of the total growth in electricity consumption in 2025, making it the single largest contributor to demand growth among all generation sources.
The surge in solar PV generation was strongest in regions where demand was rising fastest, including Texas, the Midwest and the Mid‑Atlantic. In Texas and the Midwest, solar growth met more than four out of five units of increased electricity demand, while it supplied about one third of demand growth in the Mid‑Atlantic.
Despite the overall increase in solar generation, 37 states still had less than 10 percent of total electricity coming from solar PV over the past year, reflecting uneven deployment of solar across the US.
Regional solar expansion helps meet demand
Texas continued to stand out as a major hub for solar development. In 2025, solar generation in the state rose significantly and, according to separate grid data, solar power even exceeded coal generation in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas system for the first time ever. In that market, solar contributed 14 percent of total electricity while wind and natural gas supplied larger shares.
California and Nevada also maintained strong solar penetration. California remained the leading state for solar share with about 37 percent of electricity coming from solar, while Nevada followed closely with roughly 34 percent. States such as Arkansas, Arizona, Maine and New Mexico saw their solar share increase by more than five percentage points over the two years leading up to late 2025, with New Mexico’s share jumping from 7 percent to 17 percent.
In Florida, solar PV growth exceeded increases in electricity demand by a large margin, contributing to a reduction in fossil fuel generation. In contrast to regions like Florida, most of the solar expansion nationwide was absorbed by rising electricity needs rather than directly displacing existing generation sources.
The Ember analysis also underscored the role of battery storage in transforming solar into a more day‑long energy resource. During daylight hours, solar generation consistently matched demand growth, and with the rise of storage, some of that electricity also helped meet demand in evening hours. In California, utility‑scale solar plus battery generation expanded by 58 percent over six years, even as generation at the peak solar hour rose modestly.
Dave Jones, chief analyst at Ember, said that solar’s performance was critical to meeting fast‑growing electricity demand in 2025 and that the combination of increased solar PV and battery storage made it a more versatile resource. “Solar growth was essential in helping to meet fast‑rising electricity demand in 2025,” he said. “It generated where it was needed and with the surge in batteries increasingly when it was needed.”
Utility scale outlook and storage trends
Utility‑scale solar PV is now the fastest‑growing source of electricity generation in the US, according to the latest data from the US Energy Information Administration. The EIA forecasts up to 70 gigawatts of new solar capacity additions between 2026 and 2027, a 49 percent increase in operational capacity compared with the end of 2025.
Battery storage is also set for rapid growth. Known for enabling dispatchable solar output beyond daylight hours, storage capacity additions surged in 2025 and are expected to continue expanding as grid operators and utilities seek greater flexibility and reliability. Analysts note that cheaper battery technology and greater operational experience are making solar plus storage combinations increasingly attractive across regions with high electricity demand growth.
The increasing share of solar and batteries in the electricity mix reflects broader clean energy transition trends. Across the global power system, renewable energy growth led by solar has been a defining feature of recent years, helping clean generation sources like solar and wind meet rising demand while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
However, while solar’s contribution to demand growth has been impressive, its overall share of total US electricity generation remains modest in many states. Barriers such as grid connection delays, policy uncertainty and infrastructure bottlenecks have dampened faster rollout of new capacity, even as demand rises.
In regions like the Midwest and parts of the South, solar still accounts for a small fraction of total generation despite strong growth in recent years. Meanwhile, wind and other renewables also contribute meaningfully to the clean energy mix but tend to serve different parts of the grid depending on regional resources.
Energy analysts say that solar’s rising share could grow further as economies electrify, electric vehicles become more widespread and the economics of renewables continue to improve relative to fossil fuels. Continued investment in transmission and storage infrastructure will be essential to unlocking solar’s full potential in meeting both daytime and evening electricity demand.
The 2025 solar growth figures suggest that, even amid political debates and market challenges, solar PV is becoming a central part of the US electricity system. As states and utility planners look ahead to future capacity additions, the combination of solar and storage is expected to play a major role in meeting demand growth while reducing carbon emissions and energy costs for consumers
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