Solar capacity up 20 percent from last summer
Utility-scale solar generation is expected to increase 19 percent this summer compared with last summer, reflecting a 20 percent increase in capacity, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Wind generation is forecast to increase 10 percent year-over-year, and EIA also forecast small increases of approximately 5 percent in hydro and and 1 percent in nuclear generation.
The report projects a decrease in coal production, "across all producing regions through at least December 2027," This summer coal consumption is expected to decrease by 11 percent compared with the same period last year." Generation from natural gas is expected to remain unchanged.
Solar supplies more power in US than coal
Reflecting the rise in electric power generated by solar and a decline in fossil fuel generated power - Data released last week by global energy think tank Ember, along with a report by the Solar Energy Industries Association show that in May, for the first time, solar supplied more of the nation's electricity than coal. Solar supplied 12.8 percent of all power consumed that month compared with 12.2 percent supplied by coal-fired power plants.
Solar became the third-largest source of electricity in the U.S. last month, behind natural gas and nuclear.
Solar has been the top source for new power for five years according to SEIA. According to their recent report, solar and battery storage supplied 91 percent of all new generating capacity in the first quarter of this year.
Globally, electricity generation from renewables is also growing rapidly. Renewables will become the largest global energy source, used for almost 45 percent of electricity generation by 2030, according to the International Energy Agency.
Three of tech's biggest companies announce deals with U.S. solar developers
Three new deals in clean energy procurement have joined a flood of recent announcements highlighting huge-scale solar contracts between U.S. solar developers and tech giants.
Taken together, the most recent deals represent nearly a gigawatt (940 MW) in installed capacity dedicated to the operations of Google, Meta, and Microsoft.
To fuel massive data centers, hyperscalers and AI firms have contracted tens of gigawatts (GW) of clean energy in recent years, with solar accounting for the largest share (nearly half) of total corporate clean energy procurement.
In addition to Meta, Google and Microsoft, other large-scale corporate adopters of renewable energy include Amazon, Apple, Walmart, and Target.
Cost and speed to production are often cited as reasons for solar's recent surge. Solar is not only the lowest cost generation source for power, but it is also the fastest to bring online - requiring an average of 16 months from project conception to full operation.
Judge restores 5 percent safe harbor rule
A federal judge last week struck down a Trump administration effort to restrict tax credits for wind and solar energy projects - but it may prove to be too little too late.
While the ruling is a win for renewable energy supporters, it comes less than a month before a key deadline to phase out the credits entirely under the Republicans' One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Last year's OBBBA phased out tax credits for solar and wind energy, saying projects can only qualify if they start construction before July 5, 2026 or the project is placed in service by the end of 2027.
The case centered on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) definition of what constitutes "starting construction."
Since 2013, the IRS has recognized two ways that projects qualify as having started construction: either by completing "physical work of a significant nature" or by incurring costs of five percent or more of a project's total budget.
Last year the Trump administration excluded the five percent option and remained a bit unclear as to what they consider having completed physical work of a significant nature .
Striking down the Trump guidance, the judge wrote that the exclusion of projects that have incurred five percent of their costs was arbitrary and capricious. But noted it may not matter as developers only have a couple weeks to comply before the tax credits are eliminated altogether.
Solar Powered Cruise ship launching later in 2026
Captain Arctic, a solar powered cruise ship designed for Arctic excursions is set to sail officially in December of this year. Manufacturer Selar, claims it will be the cleanest, most sustainable option for polar expeditions ever developed.
Its primary innovation is combining traditional sailing with solar power. Specifically, the ship's five solid sails are covered in 20,000 square feet of solar panels. These sails are designed to harness the power of both wind and sun.
The sails, which stand 115 feet above the deck, are retractable, folding down to allow the ship to move through certain passages or enter anchorages with height restrictions.
The Captain Arctic is a relatively small ship built for small expeditions. It's 70-meters-long and can accommodate only 36 passengers in addition to its 24-person crew. The lack of conventional propulsion allows for silent cruising, which has a significant positive impact on marine wildlife, compared to the noise and vibrations of conventional vessels.