The US solar sector shines bright with a massive 11.7 GW in Q3, defying political challenges!
In an impressive display of resilience, the American solar industry has achieved a remarkable feat, installing a whopping 11.7 gigawatts of new capacity in the third quarter of 2025. This achievement solidifies its position as the third-largest quarter in history and propels total solar additions for the year beyond 30 GW. But here's the catch: this success comes despite the Trump administration's attempts to hinder the growth of clean energy.
The "US Solar Market Insight Q4 2025" report, a collaboration between the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie, reveals a surprising trend. It shows that 85% of all new power added to the grid during the first three quarters of the Trump administration's term originated from solar and storage sources. And the plot thickens: an astonishing 73% of this growth occurred in Republican-leaning states, or 'red states'.
The top 10 states for new installations include eight red states: Texas, Indiana, Florida, Arizona, Ohio, Utah, Kentucky, and Arkansas. Utah's impressive leap into the top 10 is attributed to two substantial utility-scale projects, collectively contributing over 1 GW. But amidst this success, the report also raises concerns about the future.
Federal actions, such as a July memo from the Department of the Interior, have caused delays in the approval process for utility-scale solar and storage projects. This uncertainty has left Wood Mackenzie's long-term forecast for utility-scale solar unchanged from the previous quarter.
Abigail Ross Hopper, SEIA's president and CEO, emphasizes the market's embrace of solar energy, but also warns of the consequences of inaction. She states, "Unless the administration changes its approach, the future of clean, affordable, and reliable solar and storage will be hindered by uncertainty, impacting American energy bills."
The US solar manufacturing sector also made significant strides in 2025, with two new solar module factories in Louisiana and South Carolina, adding 4.7 GW of capacity. This brings the total new US module manufacturing capacity for the year to an impressive 17.7 GW. With a new wafer facility in Michigan, the US now boasts a complete solar module supply chain.
Michelle Davis, Wood Mackenzie's solar research head and report lead author, believes the industry has even more potential. She says, "With increasing power demands nationwide, solar could thrive if current restrictions were lifted." SEIA's analysis of EIA data further highlights the challenges ahead, revealing that over 73 GW of solar projects are entangled in permitting issues and vulnerable to politically-driven delays or cancellations.
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So, will the US solar industry continue to defy expectations, or will political roadblocks stifle its growth? The future remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: the demand for clean energy is rising, and solar power is here to stay.
