Where does it leave the grid? Despite the slight decrease, natural gas continues its domination, fueling 39% of the power placed on the network during the first half of 2025. Nuclear follows 18%, with coal at 17 years old. Renewable energies are wind (12%), solar (7%) and hydroelectric (6%). (Numbers may not increase up to 100% due to the rounding and the fact that a number of energy sources are less than one percent and not included here.)
Renewable energies in full swing
These last figures could be significant, because the hydroelectric generation tends to culminate in the spring during the melting snow. On the other hand, with additional solar plants online during the year, there is a good chance that in 2025, solar energy on a network scale will eventually produce more electricity than hydroelectric factories for the first time. This is particularly notable because the hydroelectric generation is largely the same as that of the previous year, which indicates that it has passed due to the growth of solar alone.
Collectively, the three renewable energies provided 25% of the United States electricity during the first half. This means that renewable energies are now in second position after natural gas. If you add nuclear energy to get an idea of the generation without emissions, we are now up to 43% of the electricity produced.
Despite an increase in the use of coal, the wind and the solar combined remain comfortably in front of it.
John Timmer
Despite an increase in the use of coal, the wind and the solar combined remain comfortably in front of it.
John Timmer
Gas remains the largest source of production, but there are now six different sources of electrons that make major contributions.
John Timmer
Gas remains the largest source of production, but there are now six different sources of electrons that make major contributions.
John Timmer
Despite an increase in the use of coal, the wind and the solar combined remain comfortably in front of it.
John Timmer
Gas remains the largest source of production, but there are now six different sources of electrons that make major contributions.
John Timmer
The only thing that lacks this analysis is unused solar energy – the generation on the roof which is on residential and commercial buildings, as well as in some of the small community solar. The EIA does not directly follow its production, in part because many is used where it is produced and never finds itself on the grid, appearing rather as a lower demand. However, it estimates its production, with around 11% or five TW-HR from year to year.
We also carried out some additional analyzes using these estimates assuming that 100% of this power did not end up on the network and therefore the inappropriate demand. The five TW-HR changes compared to an increase in consumption of approximately 62 TW-HR overall. This means that demand would have increased by about seven percent more if this solar had not been in production.
