Clean Power Installations Hit Record Levels in 2025

Clean power growth remains strong, but slower deal-making could affect future rural energy and land-use opportunities.

cow behind fence wind turbine in the background Sustainability_Adobe Stock.png

Adobe Stock

LUBBOCK, TEXAS (RFD NEWS) — U.S. clean power developers posted a record year in 2025, even as policy setbacks and investor uncertainty began to build. A report from the American Clean Power Association said utility-scale solar, wind, and battery storage additions topped 50 gigawatts for the year, the first time annual deployment has cleared that mark.

The fourth quarter alone accounted for 18.6 gigawatts of new capacity. The report said that was enough to push the annual total to 50,344 megawatts, up 3 percent from 2024, and to power more than 6.9 million homes.

Storage was one of the strongest segments. Installations ran 41 percent above the previous record year, and the storage development pipeline continued to expand, indicating that demand remains strong despite policy questions ahead.

The longer-term pipeline still grew to 187,514 megawatts, but the pace slowed. The report said power purchase agreement announcements fell 27 percent from a year earlier, raising concern about weaker project deployment in the 2028 to 2030 window.

The report also said clean power projects are now operating in all 50 states. Nineteen states increased capacity by more than 20 percent in 2025, with Kentucky posting one of the biggest jumps.

Farm-Level Takeaway: Clean power growth remains strong, but slower deal-making could affect future rural energy and land-use opportunities.
Tony St. James, RFD News Markets Specialist
Related Stories
Rayburn Electric Cooperative’s Chris Anderson discusses rapid AI data center expansion, mounting pressure on the electric grid, and impacts on agriculture and rural communities.
Bredenkamp discusses industry support, Senate challenges and the push for expanded E15 access.
Industry leaders say producers could still benefit even with many operations already using reduced-tax off-road diesel.
Smith says the measure would expand fuel choices for consumers while advancing energy independence.
Ethanol production climbed to a four-week high while inventories fell to their lowest level since early October, according to energy data analyzed by the RFA.
Farm Bureau Economist Dr. Faith Parum joins us to break down what year-round E15 passage could mean for agriculture, energy markets, and the future of renewable fuels in the United States.

Tony St. James joined the RFD-TV talent team in August 2024, bringing a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to RFD-TV and Rural Radio Channel 147 Sirius XM. In addition to his role as Market Specialist (collaborating with Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady to provide radio and TV audiences with the latest updates on ag commodity markets), he hosts “Rural America Live” and serves as talent for trade shows.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

For producers, the next proof will be actual export sales, shipment pace, and buyer breakdowns.
Growers should work with local agronomists, check state registrations, and follow all restricted-use label requirements.
The BMO 2026 Wine Market Report describes the wine market’s current conditions as a reset, not a pause.
Potato growers now have a fresh benchmark for comparing fertilizer, pesticide, and pest-management practices across major production states.
Corey Rosenbusch, President & CEO of The Fertilizer Institute, discusses fertilizer markets transparency efforts and the steps to ensure long-term stability for farmers and the ag economy.
Egg production accounted for much of the increase.
Agriculture Shows
Hosted by Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady and RFD News Markets Specialist Tony St. James, Commodity Talk delivers expert insight into the day’s ag commodity markets just before the CME opens. Only on RFD-TV and Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147.
A look at the news, weather and commodities headlines that drove agriculture markets in the past week.
Everything profits from prairie. Soil, air, water — and all kinds of life! Learn how you can improve your land with prairie restoration, cover crops and prairie strips, while growing your bottom line.
Special 3-part series tells the story of the Claas family’s legacy, which changed agriculture forever.