Annual electric power generation from utility-scale solar will surpass that from coal for the first time in 2026 within the electricity grid, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook on Wednesday.
Solar generation in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid, which serves most of the state, is forecast to reach 78 billion kilowatt-hours in 2026, compared with 60 billion kilowatt-hours from coal, the EIA said.
Solar generation is expected to rise further to 99 billion kilowatt-hours in 2027, versus 66 billion kilowatt-hours from coal.
Solar output has grown steadily in ERCOT as new capacity helps rapid electricity demand growth. Natural gas remains the dominant power source, accounting for an average 44% of generation from 2021 to 2025, while solar’s share rose to 12% from 4% over that period and coal’s share fell to 13% from 19%.
(Reporting by Anushree Mukherjee in Bengaluru, Editing by Franklin Paul)