US Solar Power Emerges as Grid's Silver Lining Amid Rising Energy Demand.
Despite a surge in energy demand, the US solar industry has emerged as a vital part of the grid, with its growth nearly enough to offset the rise in electricity use. According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), total electricity demand rose by 2.3 percent over the first nine months of 2025, but the astonishing growth of solar power more than made up for this increase.
Solar power has been growing at an incredible rate, with its production increasing by 44 percent in 2025 alone. In fact, it's now outpacing wind power and even hydropower to become one of the leading sources of electricity in the US. The growth of solar power has also led to a significant decrease in coal use, which had previously been on the rise.
The impressive growth of solar power is partly due to its ability to absorb excess energy generated during peak hours and store it for later use. This process, known as load shifting, allows batteries to "absorb" the cheap power and sell it back after the sun sets, thereby reducing natural gas usage.
While the Trump administration has been hostile to solar power, so far, there is no sign of this hostility at the grid level. On the contrary, the growth of solar power suggests that other states may also experience similar growth in the coming years.
The massive growth in solar has led to overproduction of power during spring and autumn, when heating/cooling demands are lowest. This surge in battery construction has enabled utilities to absorb excess energy and sell it back later, reducing their reliance on natural gas.
In California, specifically, the production from utility-scale solar has nearly doubled over the past five years, thanks in part to an 17 percent increase so far in 2025. The massive growth of solar power is expected to lead to a significant displacement of natural gas as the largest source of electricity in California by next year.
Overall, the growth of solar power in the US is a positive trend that bodes well for the grid's future.
Despite a surge in energy demand, the US solar industry has emerged as a vital part of the grid, with its growth nearly enough to offset the rise in electricity use. According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), total electricity demand rose by 2.3 percent over the first nine months of 2025, but the astonishing growth of solar power more than made up for this increase.
Solar power has been growing at an incredible rate, with its production increasing by 44 percent in 2025 alone. In fact, it's now outpacing wind power and even hydropower to become one of the leading sources of electricity in the US. The growth of solar power has also led to a significant decrease in coal use, which had previously been on the rise.
The impressive growth of solar power is partly due to its ability to absorb excess energy generated during peak hours and store it for later use. This process, known as load shifting, allows batteries to "absorb" the cheap power and sell it back after the sun sets, thereby reducing natural gas usage.
While the Trump administration has been hostile to solar power, so far, there is no sign of this hostility at the grid level. On the contrary, the growth of solar power suggests that other states may also experience similar growth in the coming years.
The massive growth in solar has led to overproduction of power during spring and autumn, when heating/cooling demands are lowest. This surge in battery construction has enabled utilities to absorb excess energy and sell it back later, reducing their reliance on natural gas.
In California, specifically, the production from utility-scale solar has nearly doubled over the past five years, thanks in part to an 17 percent increase so far in 2025. The massive growth of solar power is expected to lead to a significant displacement of natural gas as the largest source of electricity in California by next year.
Overall, the growth of solar power in the US is a positive trend that bodes well for the grid's future.
. It's crazy how fast it's growing - 44% in just one year?! That's insane! 
But what really got me is that they're actually selling excess energy back to the grid during peak hours, which is like a win-win situation 
. I'm not sure about this load shifting thing though... isn't that gonna get complicated? 
Is this just a case of us "going all in" on solar or what? 
. But hey, at least it's not like we're gonna run out of energy anytime soon! 
OMG, I'm literally so stoked about this!! I mean, who wouldn't want to live in a world where we're not reliant on fossil fuels anymore? The thought of all those solar panels across the US is just... wow! It's like, we're finally doing it right for once. 
! I mean, who wouldn't want more clean energy? The fact that solar power is outpacing other forms of energy like wind and hydropower is just crazy. And it's awesome to see utilities getting on board with battery storage – it's a game-changer for reducing natural gas usage. California is leading the way, and I'm not surprised – they're always innovating when it comes to sustainability 
. But seriously, this shift towards solar power could have huge implications for our carbon footprint... let's keep pushing forward! 
. California is going to be solar-powered in no time 
. Don't get me wrong, it's cool and all that, but what happens when the sun doesn't shine for an extended period? Are we gonna have batteries just sitting around collecting dust? 
. It's crazy to think that just a few years ago, we were all worried about climate change and energy sustainability... now it feels like we're actually making progress 
. The growth of solar power is like a breath of fresh air, you know? It's gonna be interesting to see how California ends up with all that extra power from the sun 
️. 44% growth in one year alone? mind blown 
. and the best part? it's not just about reducing our reliance on coal, but also helping utilities save money by selling excess energy back to the grid 
. california alone has seen a 17% increase in utility-scale solar production this year 
. what's next? maybe we'll see even more innovative solutions like energy storage and grid management systems 
.
. The fact that it's outpacing wind power and even hydropower is just incredible - we're on to something big here 