New Federal Energy Regulatory Commission data reveals solar remains the leading source of U.S. energy capacity growth into 2025, outperforming wind, nuclear, and hydropower amidst policy uncertainty and supply chain challenges.
Solar power is still expanding quickly in the United States, even under a Trump administration that has moved to strip back many of the incentives that supported the clean-energy build-out under Joe Biden. New figures from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission show solar remained the largest source of new generating capacity for 28 consecutive months through the end of 2025, while renewables as a whole accounted for 88% of all new U.S. power additions that year.
Utility-scale solar alone made up 72.6% of new electricity capacity additions in 2025, according to FERC data. That momentum has pushed solar ahead of wind, nuclear and hydropower in the national energy mix, and the regulator’s projections suggest the trend is far from over. FERC expects solar capacity to rise by 86 gigawatts over the next three years, putting it on track to overtake coal, with the sector set to become the second-largest source of U.S. power by 2029 if current forecasts hold.
A major reason is not policy but practicality. The U.S. power system is struggling to add gas-fired generation quickly enough, in part because of shortages of turbines and longer-than-expected development timelines. In comments reported by Reuters, NextEra Energy chief executive John Ketchum said renewables and storage remain “the fastest way to get new electrons on the grid” until more gas-fired capacity can be built.
That view has been echoed repeatedly by industry executives this year. At CERAWeek, Ketchum warned that gas projects are being held back by labour shortages and parts bottlenecks, while renewable projects are already available for deployment. He has also argued that the longer lead times for gas and nuclear mean power developers cannot afford to dismiss renewables if the U.S. wants to keep up with surging demand from industry and data centres.
The pressure is especially acute as the technology sector drives a sharp rise in electricity consumption. That has made grid expansion a priority for utilities, developers and investors alike, and it has helped sustain interest in solar, batteries and other low-carbon technologies despite a less favourable federal policy backdrop.
For European groups looking at the market, the United States still appears to offer the strongest near-term opportunity. Miguel Stilwell d’Andrade, chief executive of Portuguese utility EDP, recently told Semafor that the U.S. is one of the best places to invest in renewables in the past two decades. EDP is directing more than half of its capital spending, about $5.3 billion, towards U.S. renewables over the next three years.
The broader message from the industry is clear: politics may have cooled, but economics have not. Demand growth, grid constraints and slow fossil-fuel build-outs are continuing to favour solar and storage, raising the prospect that the Trump era could still deliver the biggest clean-energy expansion in U.S. history.
- https://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Solar-Energy/Why-Solar-Power-Is-Booming-Under-Trump.html – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nextera-ceo-idUSKBN2A10Z – In June 2025, NextEra Energy CEO John Ketchum highlighted the necessity of renewable energy sources like wind and solar to meet the rapidly growing energy demand in the United States. He noted that, due to challenges in expanding natural gas capacity, renewables are essential for bridging the gap until additional gas-fired generation can be built. Ketchum emphasized that renewables and storage are the fastest way to add new electrons to the grid until more gas-fired generation becomes available. ([investing.com](https://www.investing.com/news/commodities-news/nextera-ceo-says-renewables-needed-as-bridge-to-expanding-gas-power-4089227?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.spglobal.com/commodity-insights/en/news-research/latest-news/electric-power/031025-ceraweek-renewables-ready-to-go-labor-and-parts-delays-gas-plants-nextera-ceo – At the CERAWeek conference in March 2025, John Ketchum, CEO of NextEra Energy, discussed the challenges in meeting the projected 55% increase in power demand over the next 20 years. He pointed out that while renewable energy projects are ready to deploy, the development of gas-fired generation plants faces significant delays due to labor shortages and parts procurement issues. Ketchum stated that obtaining and building gas turbines could take until 2030 or later, making renewables a more immediate solution. ([spglobal.com](https://www.spglobal.com/commodity-insights/en/news-research/latest-news/electric-power/031025-ceraweek-renewables-ready-to-go-labor-and-parts-delays-gas-plants-nextera-ceo?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/energy-business/policy-and-regulation/nextera-ceo-warns-against-scorning-renewable-generation-amidst-long-lead-times-for-gas-and-nuclear-development/ – In March 2025, John Ketchum, CEO of NextEra Energy, cautioned against disregarding renewable energy sources in favor of gas and nuclear power, given the long lead times for their development. He highlighted that while gas-fired generation is starting from a ‘standing start,’ renewables are ready to deploy immediately. Ketchum emphasized the need for an ‘all-of-the-above’ energy approach to meet the anticipated six-fold increase in power demand over the next 20 years. ([renewableenergyworld.com](https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/energy-business/policy-and-regulation/nextera-ceo-warns-against-scorning-renewable-generation-amidst-long-lead-times-for-gas-and-nuclear-development/?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.energycentral.com/energy-management/post/news-nextera-energy-ceo-john-ketchum-says-we-risk-losing-the-ai-race-5jZPicZHItn0BO2 – In June 2025, John Ketchum, CEO of NextEra Energy, warned that without scaling up renewable energy, the United States risks energy shortages and potential blackouts. He noted that new gas and nuclear capacity would take years to develop, whereas renewables are immediately available. Ketchum expressed concerns that failing to invest in renewables could lead to losing the ‘AI race’ due to grid constraints. ([energycentral.com](https://www.energycentral.com/energy-management/post/news-nextera-energy-ceo-john-ketchum-says-we-risk-losing-the-ai-race-5jZPicZHItn0BO2?utm_source=openai))
- https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=67685&stream=top – The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) projected that in 2026, electricity generation from utility-scale solar in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) region would surpass that from coal for the first time. Solar generation was expected to reach 78 billion kilowatt-hours, compared to 60 billion kilowatt-hours from coal. This shift reflects the increasing role of solar energy in meeting Texas’s electricity demand. ([eia.gov](https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=67685&stream=top&utm_source=openai))
- https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-generate-658cca90-4602-11f0-a682-6784670fab8c – In June 2025, Axios reported on the challenges facing the U.S. energy sector, including a projected decline in crude oil output and the Environmental Protection Agency’s expected rollback of CO₂ and pollutant curbs on power plants. The report also highlighted NextEra Energy CEO John Ketchum’s warning about potential energy shortages without increased renewable energy adoption, as new gas and nuclear capacity would take years to develop. ([axios.com](https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-generate-658cca90-4602-11f0-a682-6784670fab8c?utm_source=openai))
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
3
Notes:
The article references data from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and statements from NextEra Energy CEO John Ketchum. The FERC data on solar capacity additions in 2025 was reported in April 2026, and Ketchum’s comments were made at CERAWeek in March 2026. However, the article was published in June 2026, suggesting a delay in reporting. Additionally, the article’s URL indicates it was published on oilprice.com, a site known for aggregating content from various sources, which raises concerns about originality. The narrative appears to be based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score, but the delay in publication and potential recycling of content from other outlets reduce the freshness score. The earliest known publication date of similar content is April 2026, which is more than 7 days prior to this article’s publication, further diminishing the freshness score.
Quotes check
Score:
4
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from NextEra Energy CEO John Ketchum. A search for the earliest known usage of these quotes indicates they were first reported in March 2026 during the CERAWeek conference. However, the exact wording of the quotes varies slightly between sources, which raises concerns about accuracy and potential misrepresentation. Additionally, no online matches were found for some of the quotes, making independent verification challenging. Unverifiable quotes should not receive high scores, and the lack of independent verification sources further diminishes the score.
Source reliability
Score:
4
Notes:
The article originates from oilprice.com, a site known for aggregating content from various sources. This raises concerns about the independence and originality of the content. The lead source appears to be summarising or rewriting content from other publications, which diminishes the reliability score. Additionally, the article includes statements from NextEra Energy CEO John Ketchum, but the source of these statements is not clearly identified, making it difficult to assess the credibility of the information. The lack of clear sourcing and potential recycling of content from other outlets further reduces the reliability score.
Plausibility check
Score:
5
Notes:
The article discusses the growth of solar power in the United States under the Trump administration, citing data from FERC and statements from NextEra Energy CEO John Ketchum. While the claims align with industry trends, the lack of supporting detail from other reputable outlets and the potential recycling of content from other sources raise concerns about the plausibility of the narrative. The absence of specific factual anchors, such as names, institutions, and dates, further diminishes the plausibility score.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article raises several concerns regarding freshness, originality, source reliability, and verification independence. The delay in reporting, potential recycling of content from other outlets, and lack of independent verification sources diminish the overall credibility of the narrative. Given these issues, the content does not meet the necessary standards for publication.
