A new study determined that the U.S. reached a record low for fossil fuels generating electricity last month, while solar and wind reached a record high. According to data collected from Ember, a “global energy think tank,” fossil fuels accounted for 49.2 percent of electricity generated,
The low was generated by an uptick in wind and solar power reaching a record high of 24.4 percent of generated electricity in the U.S. in March 2025.
“Clean, abundant American renewable energy is cheaper, faster to get online, and more reliable, and it is steadily overtaking fossil fuels in electric generation,” Laurie Williams, director at Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign, said. “We are seeing increased clean energy generation across the country because of the simple fact that it is a vastly more cost effective source of power.”
The previous record low was set in April 2024 at 51 percent, according to the study. In a published report titled, “U.S. Electricity 2025,” Ember touched on the changes and trends in the U.S. power sector last year and found that “solar was the fastest and largest growing source of electricity in the US in 2024.” Because of renewable energy growth and the long term decline of fossil generation within the energy sector, the study concluded these factors helped the U.S. hit a new record low.
“This clearly demonstrates the growing role of wind and solar in the U.S. energy system,” Nicolas Fulghum, senior data analyst at Ember, said. “This is a first signal that the US is approaching a tipping point where clean power takes the lead over fossil generation, and where the importance of coal and gas inevitably starts to fade. Wind and solar power are pushing fossil fuels out of the mix.”
Wind and solar power overtook the electricity mix in the U.S. with a combined 17 percent compared to 15 percent respectfully. According to the study, a decade ago solar power only accounted for 1 percent of U.S. electricity generation and it has grown to 9.2 percent in March 2025.
“The reality on the ground is not one of a return to fossil fuels in the U.S., it’s the continued growth of solar and wind power that will be the dominant driver of electricity generation growth in the U.S.,” Fulghum said.
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