US Solar and Storage Construction Dominance Faces Regulatory Barriers

In the first half of 2026, 90% of new US power plants constructed were solar, wind, or storage systems—despite federal policies that raise costs and slow deployment.

US Energy Information Administration data shows 90% of new power plants constructed in the first half of 2026 were solar, wind, or storage systems. Solar and storage projects also added more than two-thirds of new grid capacity nationally between January and June 2026. Texas led solar and storage construction in 2026, while New Mexico added 3.65 gigawatts through its SunZia wind project completed in June 2026. Arizona ranked third in this category.

This trend has persisted for multiple years, but the Trump administration’s 2026 actions created friction: it phased out clean energy tax credits, froze permitting processes, and imposed tariffs that increased solar power costs. These measures directly reduce affordable clean power access for households and businesses by slowing deployment and raising prices.

The friction here matters because regulatory barriers prevent the rapid scaling of clean energy that would lower electricity costs and increase reliability. Without policy reversals, these barriers could continue limiting how quickly solar and storage systems become widely available at scale. The EIA data covers only the first half of 2026, so full-year impacts remain unverified.

Source: Canary Media