The American Clean Power Association (ACP) reported that the USA's installed utility-scale clean power capacity exceeded 370 GW during the first quarter of 2026, following the addition of 6.4 GW of new solar, wind and energy storage capacity.
According to ACP's Q1 2026 Clean Power Quarterly Market Report, the new capacity additions bring the total installed clean power fleet to a level capable of supplying electricity to more than 80 million homes.
While the overall clean energy project pipeline increased by 6% compared with the first quarter of 2025, growth was driven primarily by solar and battery storage projects. The solar pipeline expanded by 13% year-on-year, while battery storage projects increased by 8%.
In contrast, wind energy development slowed. ACP reported that the pipeline for onshore wind projects remained largely unchanged, while the offshore wind pipeline declined by 35%. The association attributed the slowdown to permitting delays, regulatory uncertainty and challenges securing federal approvals.
Total clean energy capacity installations during the quarter were 17% lower than the 7.7 GW commissioned during the first quarter of 2025. Capacity additions were also lower than in the fourth quarter of 2025, reflecting typical seasonal trends.
The report found that more than 6.4 GW of projects expected to enter operation during the quarter were delayed, contributing to a backlog of 53 GW of delayed projects. Developers cited permitting processes, interconnection queue constraints and equipment cost fluctuations among the factors affecting project schedules.
Texas remained the largest clean power market in the USA, with more than 96.4 GW of operational capacity. According to ACP, the state accounts for approximately 26% of the country's installed clean power capacity and is approaching the 100 GW milestone.
