U.S. Solar Output Hits Record While Offshore Wind Projects Face Federal Pushback

Solar generation reached an all-time high of 45.5 terawatt-hours in May, up 17 percent from the same month last year, according to data from energy think tank Ember. Coal's share of electricity fell to 12.2 percent, its fourth-lowest monthly level on record. The figures come as federal policy shifts target both offshore wind and residential solar incentives.

The Interior Department has begun buying back offshore wind leases and offering reimbursements for companies to redirect funds toward fossil fuel or geothermal projects. Eight offshore wind projects have been stopped. In March, French oil and gas company TotalEnergies was offered nearly $1 billion to invest money originally intended for leases off North Carolina and New York in fossil fuels instead.

A Paris court ruled this week that TotalEnergies must assess and report indirect emissions from consumer use of its fuels within six months. California state officials said they intend to sue the administration over a deal ending an offshore wind project off the state's central coast.

The state has set a target of 25 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2045.

A law signed last July eliminated the 30 percent federal residential solar tax credit nearly a decade ahead of schedule. Despite the change, several U.S. solar firms told Euronews Earth that demand for rooftop panels continues to rise. One company reported it is on track to double revenue this year.

The bill still requires the governor's signature by the end of the year. Nearly half of U.S. households cannot install rooftop solar due to renting or unsuitable roofs.