According to GlobalData, the United States is on the brink of an extraordinary comeback in renewable power capacity. It will more than triple from around 414.5 gigawatts (GW) in 2024 to nearly 1.06 terawatts (TW) by 2035. However, this new record growth has renewed renewable energy as the leading source of new capacity additions across the country.
The good news, as we see in the forecast, is an incredible upward trend in renewable energy development. Much of this growth is driven by state clean energy requirements, utility procurement plans, and corporate PPAs. The combination of these four factors will lead to unprecedented growth in both solar and wind energy. Together, these two sources have already become the bedrock of the US renewable industry.
Complementing renewables, the overall US nuclear capacity is on track to increase. It will increase from roughly 97 GW in 2024 to nearly 102 GW by 2035. While this increase is small, it underscores the continued relevance of nuclear power in the country’s energy portfolio. Localized coal and oil-fired energy capacity is on a two decade long downward trend. Aging infrastructure is being retired and economic pressures continue to grow against fossil fuels.
The synergy between natural gas and nuclear energy continues to be essential to America’s capacity mix. Natural gas generation is projected to grow from some 573.1GW in 2024 to nearly 620.9GW by 2035. This trend underscores the simultaneous role these energy sources can play. Along with providing reliable power, they are providing the leadership to help our nation transition to a cleaner energy future.
It’s true that the pace of US renewable energy expansion is extraordinary, as shown by the generally conservative outlooks for solar and wind deployments. According to the solar outlook, the installed solar capacity is expected to more than triple from about 231.4GW in 2024 to about 737.8GW in 2035. Onshore wind capacity will soon explode as well. It will increase from about 156GW in 2024 to just under 269GW at the end of the forecast period.
Yet, challenges still remain, especially with regard to offshore wind projects, which have faced multiple policy and regulatory upheavals since the start of 2025. This stark instability underscores the challenge of realizing the applied complexities of implementing large-scale renewables projects, even with the overall growth trend in place.
The United States operates the world’s largest and most diversified electricity system, benefitting from abundant domestic energy resources and regional power markets. This rich diversity makes room for a wide technology mix which promotes both resilience and adaptability in the face of our ever-changing energy demands.
Long-term investment strategies—including in the US power sector—are still heavily influenced by political headwinds at the state level. Clean energy standards and utility integrated resources planning/program buying requirements propel the move to a safe, clean, sustainable energy mix. At the same time, increasing demand and innovation from the private sector is speeding up that transition.