Texas is leading the US in solar growth and is expected to surpass California in total installed solar capacity, according to a new report from the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie. Texas installed 50% more solar than any other state in the January-March period. A separate report showed solar supplied more electricity than coal in May for the first time on a monthly basis, accounting for 12.8% of US energy while coal dropped to 12.2%. Grid operator the Electric Reliability Council of Texas is expecting solar to exceed coal for the first time later this year. Renewable growth in Texas is driven by technology and data buyers, and fuels the need to deploy affordable power quickly, according to the association's state director Daniel Giese. The association's report found that renewable generation in Texas is "uniquely driven by technology and data buyers" and that fuels the need to deploy affordable power quickly, Giese said. "These new types of AI data centers can be built really quickly, unlike traditional large-use energy facilities," he said. "That’s why we see that continued growth in resources that can come online quickly and are affordable. That’s what solar and storage is."
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Texas leads US for solar growth as it tops coal for first time
A new report from the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie found that Texas is soon to surpass California in total installed solar capacity.
Published June 10, 2026 at 8:07pm by Kelsey Brown
