Solar overtook coal in US power generation in May, the first time the renewable source outdid the fossil fuel in a calendar month.
Solar supplied 12.8 per cent of US electricity last month while coal accounted for 12.2 per cent, according to a report on Wednesday from the clean energy think tank Ember, which analysed monthly and hourly data from the US Energy Information Administration.
The use of solar is surging just as the US scrambles to add new electricity sources to meet the insatiable power needs of AI data centres.
The solar industry has managed to grow even as the Trump administration has taken steps to thwart its rise. It favours traditional electric sources, including coal and nuclear, which can produce power around the clock, unlike solar and wind.
Solar first overtook coal as the main source of power generation in Australia in August 2022.
Bloomberg
