Despite strong criticism, renewable energy is doing well and even thriving when the Trump Administration does not pay developers to stop new solar and wind projects. In 2025, the United States added enough new clean power to equal about 25 Hoover Dams, setting a record with 51.6 gigawatts (GW) in one year. Most of this came from solar panels and batteries, and 2026 looks set to be even bigger.
This growth came at a crucial time. After almost twenty years of steady electricity use, demand is rising again because of data centers and, to a lesser extent, new factories and homes. Clean power is one of the quickest and most affordable ways to meet this demand and keep bills manageable. However, a new report from Atlas Public Policy and the Environmental Defense Fund shows a mixed picture. While solar and storage are booming, more projects are being canceled, and recent federal policy changes are making it harder to build clean energy.
So where does clean power stand in 2026, and why are the next few years so uncertain?
Solar and Batteries Lead the Way
According to the report, about 471 GW of clean power is already running in the U.S. as of early 2026. One gigawatt equals a billion watts, enough to power hundreds of thousands of homes. In addition to what is already operating, another 222 GW is planned or being built, which is about a third of all the clean capacity announced so far.
Clean energy is also leading in new construction. The report says about three-quarters of all new power capacity being planned or built across the country is clean. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects 2026 to break records for new generation capacity, with solar alone making up about half of the new additions.
Two main technologies make up most of this pipeline. Solar represents 56% of what is planned or under construction, and batteries add another 29%. Combined, they make up 85% of the country’s clean power projects. Wind makes up most of the rest, at about 14%. Developers plan to invest around $377 billion in this new capacity by 2031.
Batteries are growing the fastest. The 65 GW of battery storage planned or being built already surpasses the roughly 47 GW currently operating nationwide. Batteries do not make electricity themselves; instead, they store energy and release it when demand is high or when the sun goes down. This makes them a key link that helps solar and wind power supply the grid at all hours.
Why a “Gigawatt” Can Be Misleading
Not all gigawatts are the same. The numbers above refer to “nameplate capacity,” which is the most a plant can produce in perfect conditions. In reality, output is always lower because the sun sets, the wind slows, and every plant needs maintenance. Engineers use a “capacity factor” to measure how much a plant actually delivers over a year.
Solar and wind have lower capacity factors than natural gas, which can run all day and night. This means a gigawatt of solar produces less electricity over a year than a gigawatt of gas. But here is the surprising part: the U.S. is building so much solar that its expected real-world output now matches the actual output of all the new natural gas being planned. The large amount of solar is making up for the difference in capacity factor.
With 222 GW of current production, the expected output after considering capacity factors is 156 GW. That is enough to power about 30% of U.S. homes. This is a big step forward in just one year, especially given the current political climate.
Texas Is the Country’s Clean Energy Capital
The top state for building clean power is not California, but Texas. Texas has about 164 GW of clean capacity planned, under construction, or operating, which is almost twice as much as California’s 83 GW. Texas leads the country in solar, onshore wind, and battery storage, thanks to its open land, strong sun and wind, and a grid that connects new projects quickly.
This highlights a surprising fact: clean power is mostly growing in red states. The report shows that 80% of the country’s existing and planned clean capacity is in congressional districts held by Republicans. Solar farms and wind turbines need affordable, open land, which is often found in rural areas. Washington State leads in hydroelectric power and California leads in geothermal, but the largest clean-energy growth is happening in places that do not match the usual political map.
The Cancellations Are Piling Up
The other side of the story is about what is not being built. Developers canceled over 8 GW of planned clean energy projects in just the first three months of 2026. Since early 2025, more than 21 GW have been canceled. Solar projects were hit the hardest, making up more than half of the first-quarter cancellations.
| Technology | Planned / Under Construction (GW) | Canceled in Q1 2026 (GW) | Share Canceled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar | 123.3 | 4.7 | 4% |
| Batteries | 65.1 | 3.1 | 5% |
| Onshore wind | 24.1 | 0.2 | 1% |
| Natural gas (for comparison) | 65.5 | 0.6 | 1% |
Source: Atlas Public Policy, The State of Clean Power in Q1 2026, using U.S. EIA data via the Clean Economy Tracker. Natural gas is shown for comparison.
Most of the cancellations happened in just a few states. Texas, which leads the nation in building clean power, also had the most cancellations, with about 2.3 GW dropped. Still, this is only 3% of its huge pipeline. Colorado lost more in percentage terms, with over 1.5 GW canceled, or 38% of its planned clean capacity. Across the country, these canceled projects meant losing about $13 billion in investment and around 33,600 construction jobs.
At the same time, developers quickly increased plans for natural gas, adding nearly 21 GW of capacity in just one quarter. The EIA often records more cancellations in the first quarter, so some of this spike may be due to reporting timing rather than a sudden drop in projects.
Why Clean Power Just Got Harder to Build
These cancellations are not happening for no reason. Several federal changes have increased costs and uncertainty for clean energy developers:
- Tax credits are shrinking. The 2025 budget law, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, set strict new deadlines for the tax credits that have driven wind and solar growth. To qualify, most projects must begin construction by mid-2026 or start operating by the end of 2027. The law also ended the 30% tax credit for home solar after 2025.
- Permitting is slowing down. The report says that federal reviews for clean power projects on both public and private land have been delayed several times because of new Department of the Interior rules.
- Wind project reviews are on hold. In 2026, the Department of Defense stopped its security reviews of over 150 onshore wind projects, saying that turbines might interfere with military radar. As a result, about 30 GW of wind capacity is stalled while these reviews are paused.
- Offshore wind developers are being paid to stop. The administration has offered developers about $2 billion, later increased to $2.5 billion, to cancel offshore wind leases and use the money for oil and gas projects instead. The Department of Energy says its emergency orders have kept about 17 GW of coal capacity from shutting down, part of a push to extend the life of aging plants.
Higher fuel prices caused by the war with Iran have also changed what gets built. The share of planned U.S. power capacity from fossil fuels has risen from 9% at the end of 2022 to 27% now, which is three times higher. Some of the administration’s actions are now being challenged in court, and a federal court has already blocked one attempt to remove tax credits for approved clean-energy projects.
What You Can Do
Developers build clean power and policy shapes it, but individuals still have real influence:
- Go solar before tax credit deadlines, if it fits your budget. The federal residential solar tax credit ended after 2025, but many states and utilities still offer rebates and net-metering programs. Check your state energy office and your utility for current incentives.
- Choose clean electricity if your utility offers it. Many providers let you buy renewable power or subscribe to community solar, which supports local projects without rooftop panels.
- Pair storage with solar where you can. Home batteries improve resilience during outages and reduce strain on the grid during peak demand.
- Weigh in on local projects. Clean energy siting is decided at the county and state level. Public comment periods and utility rate cases are where residents can support or slow new solar, wind, and transmission.
- Track the policy. Tax credits, permitting rules, and state clean-energy targets are changing fast. Following them helps you time decisions and hold leaders accountable.
Individual actions will not build a gigawatt on their own. However, by showing clear demand, voting locally, and supporting regulations, people can help decide which projects get funded and which do not. The grid you want is possible if you take action.