According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's report in reference to the Annual Energy Outlook 2022 case, renewable energy generation will supply 44% of U.S. electricity by 2050. Renewable energy accounted for 21% of U.S. electric generation in 2021 but is expected to increase to 44% by 2050. Electric generation from renewable sources will mainly consist of wind and solar.

Simultaneously, fossil-fuel-fired power generation is expected to decline from 60% in 2021 to 44% in 2050. While coal-fired power plants continue to retire and reduce generation in the United States over the next few decades, natural gas will only decline slightly. Natural gas is expected to gradually decline from 37% in 2021 to around 33% in 2035-2036, then gradually increase to 34% in 2050, for a total decline of 3%.

The significant increase in renewable sources is primarily for offsetting the combined retirement of coal and nuclear power generators over several decades. This is a method of gradually and manageably implementing renewable energy sources to meet energy consumption needs. The rapid expansion of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar is largely due to federal tax credits. However, these tax credits are expected to decline significantly by 2026, which is why many leaders in the solar and wind industries should continue developing projects at a rapid pace.

These trends will likely continue, if not accelerate, as more technology and lower-cost alternative renewable sources emerge in the coming years. More interested parties, such as commercial properties, developers, and contractors, should consider going solar now, as major tax breaks are dwindling.