Solar generates more energy in US than coal for first time

What commenters are saying

Commenters attribute the shift partly to coal plant closures and conversion to natural gas over 20 years, alongside rapid solar deployment, rather than solar output alone exceeding coal's peak. Storage is debated as a constraint: most argue batteries and grid deployment have advanced enough that storage is no longer the primary barrier, citing falling costs of lithium iron phosphate and sodium-ion batteries, distributed solar generation patterns, and wind as backup. One commenter notes that grid-scale batteries are already being deployed worldwide. Others point out solar generates 10-25% output on cloudy days and that demand naturally peaks during daylight hours. Tariffs on solar panels and anti-renewable policies have failed to reverse the trend, suggesting economic fundamentals favor renewables. Federal fossil fuel subsidies historically dwarf renewable incentives.