{
  "$type": "site.standard.document",
  "bskyPostRef": {
    "cid": "bafyreigqshjwfb2gzgkt2nlbsipgcmn2aniapejcegzwi7yeeeppe3jwvq",
    "uri": "at://did:plc:stdyw5imz7iz4527okgpjtip/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpqheylxo562"
  },
  "coverImage": {
    "$type": "blob",
    "ref": {
      "$link": "bafkreigrmqgohqtxa2y6syj72nnvexv64vmec7pbbmcmhwfawd35tccene"
    },
    "mimeType": "image/png",
    "size": 39661
  },
  "path": "/2026/07/good-news-everyone.html",
  "publishedAt": "2026-07-02T23:06:00.000Z",
  "site": "https://40yrs.blogspot.com",
  "tags": [
    "solar energy has generated more electricity than coal in the United States",
    "solar power"
  ],
  "textContent": "For the first time ever, solar energy has generated more electricity than coal in the United States.\n\nThis is not a surprise. Solar energy is now cheaper than coal power, the capital investment is lower, and the time from concept from rollout to service entry is lower.\n\n> For the first time on record, solar power has generated more electricity than coal in the United States, marking a structural shift in the country’s electricity mix and the accelerating role of renewables in the grid. In May 2026, solar accounted for approximately 12.8% of U.S. electricity generation, while coal accounted for about 12.2%. This marks the first monthly period in which solar surpassed coal in electricity output.\n>\n> Solar’s record output during the month is is due in part to the seasonal conditions that increase daytime generation. Growth in solar also comes from both utility-scale installations and distributed systems across multiple states. At the same time, coal generation continued its long-term downward trend due to plant retirements, reduced utilization, and competition from lower-cost energy sources. Coal plants also increasingly operate below full capacity, which reduces their overall share of total electricity generation even when facilities remain active. This moment does not signal the end of coal, but it confirms a shift in the structure of electricity production in the U.S. The result is a grid that now relies more heavily on variable renewable energy, with solar playing a growing role in meeting daytime demand and offsetting fossil fuel generation.\n>\n> ………\n>\n> Across regions, solar growth is being driven by declining technology costs, faster deployment timelines compared to fossil fuel infrastructure, and policy frameworks that prioritize renewable energy expansion. The solar-over-coal crossover reflects more than a statistical milestone. It signals a broader reconfiguration of electricity systems toward modular, rapidly deployable energy sources that can scale faster than traditional fossil fuel infrastructure.\n\nThis is a good thing. The faster that we get off coal, the better.",
  "title": "Good News Everyone!",
  "updatedAt": "2026-07-03T05:07:40.302Z"
}