REPORT: Clean Power Capacity Grows to Power 80 Million Homes in Q1, Despite Slowdown in the Wind Sector听

Jun 2 2026


 

  • Cumulative clean power capacity hit 370 GW听in Q1 2026, enough to power听nearly 80听million homes.听听
  • The pipeline for clean power projects rose by 6% compared to Q1 2025, driven primarily by a 13% growth in the solar pipeline and 8% growth in the battery storage pipeline.
  • Due to ongoing federal delays, the pipeline for land-based wind has stagnated, and offshore wind has plummeted by 35%.

WASHINGTON, D.C.,听June 2, 2026听鈥 The 欧美情色片 Association (欧美情色片) released its听Q1听2026听Clean Power Quarterly Market Report听today,听showcasing听continued听steady development in the solar and storage sectors,听along with a slowing听pipeline for听wind projects听due to ongoing federal pushback and delays.听

Developers brought听6.4听gigawatts (GW) of new utility-scale solar, wind, and energy storage听online听in听Q1 2026听鈥斕齪ushing the cumulative clean power capacity in the US to over 370 GW.听That鈥檚听enough electricity to power听nearly 80听million homes across the country.

The pipeline for clean power projects听rose听by听6%听compared to听Q1听2025, driven primarily by a听13% growth in the听solar pipeline and 8% growth in the听battery storage听pipeline. In contrast, the pipeline for land-based wind听has stagnated, and offshore wind has plummeted by 35%. Early-and-mid-stage land-based wind projects have听struggled to听secure听approvals from federal regulators,听and offshore听wind听continues to听weather听permitting听roadblocks and听uncertainty.

鈥淐lean energy projects are the fastest to deploy as听American听electricity demand rises and energy prices increase,鈥 said听欧美情色片 Chief Policy Officer JC Sandberg. 鈥淯nfortunately,听American families are footing the bill for the听politicized bureaucracy听that听has听halted听wind projects听aimed at听powering听millions of homes听and听keeping听costs low.听Americans need policies that speed听clean energy听deployment, not delay it.鈥澨

Q1听2026听Toplines:

  • Solar Shines:听More than 3.6 GW of utility-scale solar capacity began operations in the first quarter, pushing cumulative operating capacity to 161.1 GW,听enough to power听590,000听homes.
  • A Slow Quarter for Capacity Installations:听Year-over-year, overall clean energy quarterly capacity installations were down by 17%, compared to the 7,695 MW of capacity energized in Q1 2025. Q1 installations also fell by 66% compared to Q4 2025, which can generally be expected as first quarters are typically much slower than fourth quarters.
  • Delays听Add Up:听Over 6.4 GW of clean power capacity initially expected to become operational during Q1 were delayed, adding to the 53 GW backlog of delayed projects.听Project developers听attribute project delays to lengthy permitting听processes, backlogged interconnection queues, and fluctuating prices for key project equipment.
  • Texas Continues to听Dominate:With over 96.4 GW of clean power projects in operation, Texas is on the verge of becoming the first state to cross the 100 GW threshold. Texas听is home to 26% of online听clean power听capacity in the U.S. and has more operational capacity than the next four states combined.

Explore the full report听for more data and analysis.听