Solar power sets record in the US with 50 GW added, meanwhile Big Tech bets on nuclear

TL;DR: In recent years, the energy landscape has undergone significant shifts, with both solar and nuclear power gaining prominence. Last year, the United States experienced a remarkable surge in solar energy, installing a record-breaking 50 gigawatts of new solar capacity – the largest single-year addition to the grid by any energy technology in over two decades. At the same time, interest in nuclear power is growing, particularly among tech giants. A key example of this trend is Amazon, Google, and Meta pledging to support efforts to at least triple global nuclear energy capacity by 2050. According to the US Solar Market Insight 2024 Year in Review report by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie, solar and storage together accounted for 84 percent of all new electric generating capacity added to the grid last year. The 50 GW of new capacity was enough to power approximately 8.5 million households. This growth was accompanied by a significant expansion in ... Read full article.