FERC: Solar + wind made up 98% of new US power generating capacity in Jan-Feb 2025
Solar and wind accounted for almost 98% of new US electrical generating capacity added in the first two months of 2025, according to new Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) data reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign.
In FERC’s latest monthly “Energy Infrastructure Update” report (with data through February 28, 2025), FERC says 39 “units” of solar totaling 1,514 megawatts (MW) were placed into service in February, along with two units of wind (266 MW). They accounted for 95.3% of all new generating capacity added during the month. Natural gas provided the balance (87 MW).
For both January and February, renewables (6,309 MW) were 97.6% of new capacity, while natural gas (147 MW) provided just 2.3%, with another 0.2% coming from oil (11 MW).
Solar dominated February generating capacity
Solar accounted for 81.1% of all new generating capacity placed into service in February. It was 73.3% of new capacity added during the first two months of 2025.
Recent solar additions include the 237.3 MW Fence Post Solar in Texas, the 150-MW Northern Orchard Solar in California, and the 135-MW Prairie Ronde Solar Project in Louisiana.
Solar has now been the largest source of new generating capacity added each month for 18 consecutive months, since September 2023.
Solar + wind now almost 25% of US utility-scale generating capacity
New wind accounted for most of the balance (14.3%) of capacity additions in February. New wind capacity (1,568 MW) added in January and February combined was 70% more year-over-year (922 MW).
The new wind farms that came online in February were the 140.3-MW Pioneer DJ Wind in Texas and the 126-MW Downeast Wind in Maine.
The installed capacities of solar (10.7%) and wind (11.8%) are now each more than a tenth of the US total. Together, they’re almost one-fourth (22.5%) of the US’s total available installed utility-scale generating capacity.
Further, approximately 30% of US solar capacity is in the form of small-scale (e.g., rooftop) systems that aren’t reflected in FERC’s data. Including that additional solar capacity would bring the share provided by solar and wind to more than 25% of the US total.
With the inclusion of hydropower (7.6%), biomass (1.1%), and geothermal (0.3%), renewables currently claim a 31.5% share of total US utility-scale generating capacity. If small-scale solar capacity is included, renewables are now about one-third of total US generating capacity.
For perspective, a year ago, the mix of utility-scale renewables accounted for 29.3% of total installed generating capacity. Five years ago, it was 22.6%. Ten years ago, it was 16.9% (with more than half provided by hydropower). Thus, over the past decade, renewables’ share of US generating capacity has nearly doubled.
FERC’s 3-year solar + wind addition forecast
FERC reports that net “high probability” additions of solar between March 2025 and February 2028 total 89,497 MW – an amount almost four times the forecast net “high probability” additions for wind (22,890 MW), the second fastest growing resource. FERC also foresees net growth for hydropower (1,323 MW) and geothermal (92 MW) but a decrease of 130 MW in biomass capacity.
The net new “high probability” capacity additions by all renewable energy sources would total 113,672 MW. There is no new nuclear capacity in FERC’s three-year forecast.
Despite Trump’s big fossil fuel push, FERC is projecting that coal and oil will contract by 24,939 MW and 2,104 MW, respectively. Natural gas capacity would expand by 1,583 MW.
Thus, adjusting for the different capacity factors of gas (59.7%), wind (34.3%), and utility-scale solar (23.4%), electricity generated by the projected new solar capacity to be added in the coming three years should be at least 20 times greater than that produced by the new natural gas capacity, while wind’s new electrical output would eclipse gas by eight-fold.
If FERC’s current “high probability” additions materialize, by March 1, 2028, solar will account for nearly one-sixth (16.3%) of US installed utility-scale generating capacity. Wind would provide an additional one-eighth (12.7%) of the total. So each would be greater than coal (12.4%) and substantially more than either nuclear power (7.3%) or hydropower (7.2%).
Assuming current growth rates continue, the installed capacity of utility-scale solar is likely to surpass coal and wind within the next two years, placing solar in second place for installed generating capacity behind natural gas.
Renewables still on track to exceed natural gas in 3 years
The mix of all utility-scale (ie, >1 MW) renewables is now adding about two percentage points annually to its share of generating capacity. At that pace, by March 1, 2028, renewables would account for 37.6% of total available installed utility-scale generating capacity – nipping on the heels of natural gas (40.2%) – with solar and wind constituting more than three-quarters of the installed renewable energy capacity. If those trendlines continue, utility-scale renewable energy capacity should surpass natural gas in 2029 or sooner.
However, if small-scale solar is factored in, within three years, total US solar capacity (small-scale plus utility-scale) could approach 330 GW. In turn, the mix of all renewables would then exceed 40% of total installed capacity while natural gas’s share would drop to about 37%.
Moreover, FERC reports that there may actually be as much as 220,985 MW of net new solar additions in the current three-year pipeline in addition to 67,811 MW of new wind, 9,788 MW of new hydropower, 201 MW of new geothermal, and 39 MW of new biomass. By contrast, net new natural gas capacity potentially in the three-year pipeline totals just 20,856 MW. Consequently, renewables’ share could be even greater by late winter 2028.
“The Trump Administration’s assault on wind and solar has not – at least not yet – had an appreciable impact on the rapid growth of renewable energy generating capacity,” noted the SUN DAY Campaign’s executive director, Ken Bossong. “Moreover, if FERC’s current projections materialize, the mix of renewables will surpass natural gas capacity before the end of President Trump’s time in the White House.”
Electrek’s Take
Just three days ago, I reported on nonpartisan policy group E2’s latest Clean Economy Works monthly update, which revealed that nearly $8 billion in clean energy investments and 16 new large-scale factories and other projects were cancelled, closed, or downsized in Q1 2025. (E2’s cleaner net is wider than FERC’s and includes such things as EVs, battery storage, hydrogen, and grid and infrastructure projects.) Clean energy is growing, but Trump’s executive orders have still managed to slow its growth. Natural gas is still in the lead, but coal and oil still can’t touch renewables.
Read more: FERC: Solar + wind set for a strong 3-year run despite Trump’s sabotage
If you find yourself in this situation or even just want to check out other options to make sure you’re finding a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage. EnergySage is a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar – whether you’re a homeowner or renter. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20 to 30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and tell us to share your phone number with them.
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On today’s exciting episode of Quick Charge, we don’t even mention “you know who,” focusing instead on EV news from Rivian, Lucid, Nissan, Ford, and what it takes to make a MAN in the heavy truck space. Check it out!
Sure, Nissan is pushing back production estimates on its yet-to-begin-production Nissan LEAF and Ford’s EV sales were down significantly in Q2, but there’s more to the story than the “Faux News” crowd would have you believe. Plus: some new electric success stories from Porsche and a disappointing (but still cool) dive into some new home backup battery tech.
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he 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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Battery electric cars sold today in Europe produce 73% less life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions than gas cars, even when factoring in production, according to new research from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). That’s a big improvement from 2021, when the gap was 59%.
Meanwhile, hybrids and plug-in hybrids haven’t made much progress. The study confirms what clean transportation advocates have been saying for years: If Europe wants to seriously slash emissions from its dirtiest mode of transport – ICE passenger cars, which pump out nearly 75% of the sector’s pollution – it needs to go all-in on battery EVs.
“Battery electric cars in Europe are getting cleaner faster than we expected and outperform all other technologies, including hybrids and plug-in hybrids,” said ICCT researcher Dr. Marta Negri. Credit the continent’s rapid shift to renewables and the higher energy efficiency of EVs.
The makeup of the EU’s power grid is changing fast. By 2025, renewables are expected to generate 56% of Europe’s electricity, up from 38% in 2020. And that’s just the beginning: the share could hit 86% by 2045. Since cars bought today could still be on the road two decades from now, the growing use of clean electricity will only boost EVs’ climate benefits over time.
Gas-powered cars, on the other hand, will stay mostly tied to fossil fuels as the cost and availability of biofuels and e-fuels are still uncertain.
Hybrids and plug-in hybrids only cut lifetime emissions by 20% and 30%, respectively, compared to gas cars. That’s partly because plug-in hybrids tend to run on gas more than expected. So while hybrids aren’t useless, they’re just not good enough if we’re serious about climate goals.
Countering EV myths with hard data
There’s been a lot of noise lately about whether EVs are really that green. The ICCT study takes aim at the bad data and misleading claims floating around, like ignoring how the grid gets cleaner over time or using unrealistic gas mileage figures.
It’s true that manufacturing EVs creates more emissions upfront – about 40% more than making a gas car, mostly due to the battery. But EVs make up for it quickly: that extra emissions load is usually wiped out after about 17,000 km (10,563 miles) of driving, which most drivers hit in a year or two.
“We’ve recently seen auto industry leaders misrepresenting the emissions math on hybrids,” said Dr. Georg Bieker, senior researcher at the ICCT. “But life-cycle analysis is not a choose-your-own-adventure exercise.”
ICCT’s new analysis includes emissions from vehicle and battery production and recycling, fuel and electricity production, and fuel consumption and maintenance. It even adjusts for how the electricity mix will change in the coming years – a key detail when measuring plug-in hybrid performance.
Read more: Volkswagen’s 47% BEV sales jump includes a 24% boost in the US
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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![Here's our closest look at the Kia EV2 caught testing in the Alps [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/07/Kia-EV2-closest-look.jpeg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
The EV2 may be Kia’s smallest electric vehicle, but it has a big presence on the road. Kia promises it won’t feel so small when you’re inside, thanks to clever storage and flexible seating. After a prototype was spotted testing in the Alps, we are getting our closest look at the Kia EV2 so far.
Kia EV2 spotted in the Alps offers our closest look yet
Kia first unveiled the Concept EV2 during its 2025 EV Day event (see our recap of the event) in April, a preview of its upcoming entry-level electric SUV.
Despite its small size, Kia claims it will “redefine urban electric mobility” with new innovative features and more. Kia has yet to say exactly how big it will be, but given it will sit below the EV3, it’s expected to be around 4,000 mm (157″) in length. The EV3 is 4,300 mm (169.3″) in length.
Looking at it from the side, it sits much higher than you’d expect, similar to Kia’s larger EV9. During an exclusive event at Milan Design Week in April, Kia gave a sneak peek of the interior.
Kia said the interior is inspired by a “picnic in the city,” or in other words, a retreat from the busy city life. With a flat-floor design and flexible seating, you can quite literally have a picnic in the city.
Although we’ve seen the EV2 out in public testing a few times, a new video provides the closest look at Kia’s upcoming electric SUV.
The video, courtesy of CarSpyMedia, shows an EV2 prototype testing in the Alps with European license plates. There’s also a “Testfahrt” sticker on the back, which translates to “Test Car” in German.
As the prototype drives by, you can get a good look at it from all angles. Like in past sightings, the front features stacked vertical headlights with Kia’s signature Star Map lighting. Even the rear lights appear to be identical to those of the concept.
The interior will feature Kia’s next-gen ccNC (connected car Navigation Cockpit) infotainment system. The setup includes dual 12.3″ instrument clusters and infotainment screens in a curved panoramic display. Depending on the model, it could also include an added 5.3″ climate control screen.
Last month, a crossover coupe-like model was spotted on a car carrier in Korea, hinting at a new variant. The new model featured a design similar to that of the Genesis GV60.
Kia’s CEO, Ho Sung Song, also recently told Autocar that a smaller, more affordable EV was in the works to sit below the EV2. Song said the new EV, priced under €25,000 ($30,000), was “one area we are studying and developing.”
With the EV4 and EV5 launching this year, followed by the EV2 in 2026, it could be closer toward the end of the decade before we see it hit the market. Next-gen EV6 and EV9 models are also due out around then.
The Kia EV2 is set to launch in Europe and other global regions in 2026. Unfortunately, it’s not expected to make the trip to the US.
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