According to a new report by Ember, wind and solar together reached 17% of total electricity generation in the U.S. in 2024, suring coal for the first time, which dropped to a historic low of 15%. 471k6w

The report highlighted that in 24 states, coal fell below wind and solar, with Illinois being the latest to this shift in 2024, following Arizona, Colorado, Florida, and Maryland in 2023. This is the first analysis of the full-year U.S. electricity data, published by the EIA on February 26th.

Electricity Demand 1a6f3x

After being stagnant for 14 years, electricity demand began to rise in recent years, experiencing a 3.0% increase in 2024, marking the fifth highest increase this century.

The increase in demand and the decline in coal were countered with higher generation from solar, wind, and gas. Gas grew three times more than the decline in coal, which slightly increased CO2 emissions in the energy sector (0.7%).
Coal fell by the second smallest amount since 2014, as gas and clean energy growth met rising electricity demand, whereas historically they have replaced coal.

Despite the rise in emissions, carbon intensity of electricity continued to decline. The increase in energy demand was much faster than the rise in CO2 emissions from the energy sector, making each unit of electricity likely the cleanest in history.

Solar Generation Grew More Than Gas 723g3e

Solar generation increased by 64 TWh in 2024, more than the rise in gas (59 TWh). Solar continued to be the fastest-growing source of electricity, with a 27% increase in 2024, suring hydro generation for the first time. It ed for 81% of all new annual energy capacity additions in the country. Gas added no net capacity, as new plants were offset by closures.

California and Nevada both sured 30% solar share in their electricity mix for the first time (32% and 30% respectively). Battery growth in California was key to solar success, installing 20% more battery capacity than solar capacity, helping transfer a significant share of daytime solar to the evening. Texas installed more solar (7.4 GW) and battery capacity (3.9 GW) than even California. However, solar growth was uneven: 28 states generated less than 5% of their electricity from solar in 2024, highlighting significant untapped potential even before adding battery storage.

As solar grew massively, wind experienced a modest 7% increase in generation, adding the least capacity in ten years. However, it still generated 50% more power than solar in 2024, making up 10% of the U.S. electricity mix.

Demand Is rising: solar and wind are best positioned to meet it 515z5a

The increase in electricity demand in 2024 signals a positive shift towards electrification. With the adoption of electric vehicles, air conditioning, heat pumps, and the rapid expansion of data centers, demand is expected to grow in the coming years.

To meet the rising demand, clean generation needs to grow faster. Unlike solar, wind's growth has been slow. Clean energy is capable of meeting rising electricity demand on its own – without raising bills, sacrificing supply security, or further relying on gas.

Dave Jones, Chief Analyst at Ember, said, “While demand remained unchanged for years, solar, wind, and gas worked together to replace coal, transforming the U.S. electricity system. But now that electricity demand is growing rapidly, the battle is between solar and gas to meet it. And solar is winning: it added more generation than gas in 2024, and batteries will ensure that solar can grow more cheaply and quickly than gas.”

Daan Walter, Principal at Ember, noted, “Electricity demand is rising as new uses emerge across the U.S. economy, from data centers to transportation and heating. This makes the case for solar and wind even stronger today—they are not only fast to deploy and cheap but also help stabilize energy costs in the long run.”