US Renewable Capacity on Pace to Overtake Natural Gas by Summer 2027, EIA Data Shows

New EIA data released August 25-28, 2026 shows US installed renewable generating capacity is on pace to surpass natural gas capacity by summer 2027, as roughly 82.9 GW of new wind, solar and battery storage capacity is added while combined fossil-fuel and nuclear capacity shrinks by about 3.1 GW over the same period. The EIA's latest Electric Power Monthly report (data through June 30, 2026) shows renewable generation was 10.9% higher in the first half of 2026 than the same period in 2025, led by utility-scale solar (+21.6%), small-scale solar (+13.0%), hydropower (+10.1%) and wind (+6.5%). Renewables' share of total US utility-scale generating capacity reached 34.3% as of June 30, 2026, roughly double its 16.9% share a decade earlier, and EIA projects that share to climb to 37.1% by June 30, 2027.