Vast majority of new US power plants generate solar or wind power

In the first half of this year, the United States saw an impressive addition of 22,332 megawatts in power plant capacity, with a remarkable majority stemming from utility-scale solar, batteries, and onshore wind. Following these renewable sources, natural gas contributed the next largest share, while there were no new coal or nuclear plants added, as reported by the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Looking ahead to 2030, projections indicate that the U.S. energy sector will largely mirror the current trends seen over the past six months, with solar and battery technologies leading the charge in new power plant developments. This shift raises intriguing questions about the contrasting energy policies of the Trump administration, which sought to bolster fossil fuels, and the evolving reality that renewables are increasingly set to dominate the future grid. The slow pace of power plant development can partially explain this disparity. Most of the projects recently completed were initiated around 2020, a period that feels quite distant in the context of energy transitions. The Trump administration's initiatives, which leaned toward fossil fuel expansion, have yet to manifest into projects with established timelines. David Victor, an expert in innovation and public policy at the University of California San Diego, emphasizes that there is considerable inertia within the energy system. He notes that while advancing new clean energy technologies takes time, attempts to reverse this trend in favor of fossil fuels also encounter delays before their impacts are felt. Additionally, some wind and solar initiatives may face cancellation due to the swift reduction of tax incentives outlined in the recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed by Trump. This new legislation significantly alters the investment tax credit and production tax credit, which have been crucial for companies pursuing utility-scale renewable projects.