US clean power capacity passed 370 GW as solar and storage led Q1 2026
US developers brought 6.4 GW of solar, storage and wind online in Q1 2026, lifting total clean power capacity past 370 GW.
Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels
Developers in the United States brought 6.4 gigawatts of new utility-scale solar, wind and battery storage online in the first quarter of 2026, with solar and storage accounting for almost all of it, according to the American Clean Power Association’s quarterly market report. The additions pushed total US clean power capacity past 370 gigawatts, which the association estimates is enough to supply close to 80 million homes.
Solar and storage led US clean power capacity
Utility-scale solar contributed 3.625 gigawatts, about 56% of the quarter’s additions, lifting total installed US solar capacity to 161.1 gigawatts. Battery storage added 2.382 gigawatts, and wind contributed 415 megawatts. The split continues a pattern in which solar and storage carry most new US clean power capacity while wind additions stay small.
The quarter at a glance, drawn from the same report:
| Metric | Q1 2026 |
|---|---|
| New utility-scale clean power online | 6.4 GW |
| — Utility-scale solar | 3.625 GW (about 56%) |
| — Battery storage | 2.382 GW / 6.99 GWh |
| — Wind | 415 MW |
| New utility-scale battery projects | 40 |
| Cumulative US clean power capacity | more than 370 GW |
| Cumulative US utility-scale solar | 161.1 GW |
| Development pipeline vs Q1 2025 | +6% |
Source: American Clean Power Association, Clean Power Quarterly Market Report Q1 2026 (via pv magazine USA, SolarQuarter).
A record first quarter for battery storage
Storage was the standout. Developers commissioned 40 new utility-scale battery projects in the quarter, adding 2.382 gigawatts of power and 6.99 gigawatt-hours of energy. The association reported it as the strongest first quarter on record for battery storage, exceeding the previous Q1 record, set in 2025, by 48%. Storage capacity is what lets solar-heavy grids shift midday generation into the evening, and its share of new additions has risen as that role has grown. Rising electricity demand sits behind the build-out; one driver is the growing share of electric vehicles, which are better for the environment as the grid that charges them gets cleaner.
Project delays remain a constraint
The report also flags a slower pipeline reaching the grid. More than 6.4 gigawatts of capacity originally expected to be online by the end of the first quarter was delayed. Coverage of the report put the wider backlog of postponed projects at roughly 53 gigawatts (SolarQuarter) to 59.5 gigawatts (pv magazine), with the variation reflecting how different outlets summarised the same dataset. The association attributes the delays to lengthy permitting, backlogged interconnection queues and fluctuating equipment prices. The development pipeline still grew 6% against the first quarter of 2025, led by solar and storage, so projects are accumulating faster than they are being connected.
These figures track the build-out of clean supply rather than the policy and market questions around it, which this site has covered in its review of sustainability challenges for a resilient future.
About the American Clean Power Association
The American Clean Power Association is a United States trade group for the clean energy industry, launched in 2021 and based in Washington, D.C. It built on the former American Wind Energy Association and now represents companies across wind, solar, energy storage, transmission and clean hydrogen. The association publishes the Clean Power Quarterly Market Report, which tracks installations, the development pipeline and procurement, and typically appears six to eight weeks after each quarter closes. Its Q1 2026 edition is the source of the figures above, including the record quarter for battery storage and the cumulative total passing 370 gigawatts.
Sources: American Clean Power Association; pv magazine USA; SolarQuarter
Featured image: photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels (free Pexels license).
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I specialize in sustainability education, curriculum co-creation, and early-stage project strategy. At WINSS, I craft articles on sustainability, transformative AI, and related topics. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me chasing the perfect sushi roll, exploring cities around the globe, or unwinding with my dog Puffy — the world’s most loyal sidekick.
