6 Records Solar & Storage Have Crushed in the First Half of 2026

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Electricity demand is rising. Prices are climbing. And America needs more power, fast.

The good news is solar and storage are delivering. Across the country, from California to Texas to the Midwest, the industry is breaking records at a pace that would have seemed unimaginable just a few years ago. These milestones show that solar and storage are no longer emerging technologies. They are essential parts of America’s energy system and the fastest-growing resources available to meet the nation’s soaring demand for electricity.

1. Solar and storage made up 91% of all new grid capacity added in Q1 2026

So far this year, solar and storage are dominating new electricity generation capacity. In the first quarter of 2026, 91% of all new grid capacity came from solar and storage, the highest quarterly share the duo has ever recorded. Solar has been America’s largest source of new electricity generation for the past five years, and storage is quickly catching up. Utilities, businesses, and investors continue choosing these technologies because they are among the lowest-cost and fastest-to-deploy energy resources available.

2. For the first time ever, solar generated more electricity than coal.

In May 2026, solar generated more electricity than coal for the first time in U.S. history. Just a decade ago, solar barely registered on the national grid. Today, it is supplying almost 13% of America’s electricity needs.

3. California batteries discharged nearly 13 GW in a single evening, covering 44% of demand.

On the evening of July 9th, California’s battery fleet discharged a record 12.99 gigawatts of power. That is more power than New York City consumes on a hot summer day. At peak, batteries covered 36% of energy demand across the CAISO region. Evening hours are historically the hardest moment for the grid, but batteries are stepping up to meet peak demand and spread the solar savings deeper into the evening.

4. California smashed its solar generation record, with 23 GW covering 72% of afternoon demand.

Just one day later, on July 10, CAISO set another record, with solar generation reaching 23 GW and supplying 72% of regional electricity demand. It marked the third time since June 1 that California had broken its own solar generation record, highlighting just how quickly clean energy deployment continues to accelerate.

5. Texas set four records of its own

No story about record-breaking solar growth is complete without Texas. In recent months, the Lone Star State has continued rewriting the record books:

• Batteries supplied a record 20% of evening electricity demand on March 13
• Renewables met a record 79% of electricity demand on March 14
• Solar generation reached a record 34.427 GW on May 13 and nearly surpassed that mark again on July 9 with 35.425 GW of solar power.
• All renewable resources combined set another generation record of 52 GW on May 14

Texas is now the nation’s fastest-growing utility-scale solar market and the second-largest energy storage market. Those investments are helping keep the grid reliable while delivering affordable electricity across the state.

6. Major grid operators in the country set new solar records.

California and Texas may grab the headlines, but solar’s growth is a national story. In the last three months, SPP, ISONE, MISO, and PJM have all set new records for solar generation. At the same time, these grid operators are also setting records for maximum load, proving that solar isn’t just a good way to reduce prices; it’s a critical element of energy reliability.

These records are sure to be broken again as free sunshine and affordable energy storage continue to transform the grid. Even on the hottest days, solar and storage are helping America meet rising electricity demand, lower costs for families, and strengthen grid reliability, all at the same time.

With half of 2026 still ahead, the next round of record-breaking is just around the corner.

Article from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).