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America’s solar market enters a new phase

Published in: Solar, Corporate Focus, Exclusive Articles

America’s solar market enters a new phase image

US solar continues to expand at remarkable speed, but the market around it is changing. Record deployment, rising electricity demand and rapid battery development are meeting a tougher federal policy environment, trade disputes, supply chain questions and an electricity grid struggling to connect everything developers want to build.

US solar in 2026 is a market full of contradictions. By many measures, the industry has never been stronger. Developers continue to build large amounts of new capacity, solar generation is rising rapidly and batteries are changing what solar can contribute to the grid. But doing business has also become more complicated.

Federal incentives have changed. Trade measures are reshaping equipment sourcing. Developers face lengthy waits for grid connections and the country is trying to build a stronger domestic manufacturing base while continuing to deliver projects at considerable speed.

Solar is not retreating, but the market around it is changing fast.

Record growth continues

The numbers are hard to ignore. At the beginning of 2026, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that developers planned to add 43.4 GW of utility-scale solar during the year. If all of that capacity is realised, it would represent a 60% increase on the 27.2 GW added in 2025 and account for 51% of all planned new US utility-scale generating capacity in 2026.

Solar generation is rising too. In its September Short-Term Energy Outlook, the EIA forecast growth in US solar generation of 21% in 2026 and a further 18% in 2027.

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