Washington: US developers reported that over half of the new electric generating capacity for 2025 will be derived from solar energy. Developers have already added 12 gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale solar electric generating capacity in the first half of the year and plan to add an additional 21 GW in the latter half, as revealed by the US Energy Information Administration's latest survey on electric generating capacity changes.
According to Emirates Press Agency, solar energy is slated to constitute more than half of the total 64 GW planned to be introduced by developers this year. The remaining capacity additions for 2025 are expected to come primarily from battery storage, wind, and natural gas power plants. If all 64 GW are successfully brought online this year, it would set a new record for capacity additions, surpassing the previous peak of 58 GW set in 2002, largely fueled by natural gas.
The survey indicated that if the planned capacity additions for solar photovoltaic and battery storage are achieved, these technologies will see their largest growth yet, driven significantly by developments in Texas. So far, Texas accounts for approximately 27% (3.2 GW) of the solar capacity added in 2025, with plans to add another 9.7 GW in the second half of the year. This development follows Texas surpassing California last year as the state with the highest utility-scale solar capacity.
Battery storage also represents a substantial portion of the capacity added in the first half of the year, accounting for 26% (5.9 GW), with significant contributions from Arizona and California. In Texas, developers anticipate introducing 7.0 GW of battery storage capacity within 2025, largely in the latter half of the year.