Reviewing the top ten states for solar generation and capacity, energy storage buildout, and more.
Image: Michael Pointer, Unsplash
This report provides a comprehensive breakdown of the current U.S. solar and battery storage landscape based on the latest data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). We examine state-level performance across four key metrics: generation share, cumulative capacity, future installation pipelines, and operational battery storage.
Solar share of total generation 
This metric tracks the percentage of a state’s total in-state electricity generation sourced from solar (utility-scale and estimated small-scale). 
Cumulative solar capacity 
Ranked by total installed megawatts (MW) of utility-scale solar capacity currently in operation. 
3-year installation forecast (2026–2028) 
Based on the EIA’s Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory, these states have the largest volume of utility-scale solar projects currently in the active three-year development queue. 
Percentage capacity growth forecast (2025–2026)  
While established markets lead in volume, these “emerging” states are seeing the largest relative surge in their existing solar footprint, often doubling or tripling their capacity from a small baseline. 
Operational battery storage capacity 
The U.S. utility-scale battery fleet has now surpassed 40 GW of power capacity. The following states lead in operational nameplate capacity (MW). 
Methodology 
All data is sourced from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Readers should note the following parameters regarding these figures: 
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