Solar is Powering America's Next 250 Years

From the earliest days of our founding to the industrial revolution, from rural electrification to the interstate highway system, Americans have always met big challenges by building the tools, technologies, and infrastructure needed to power the next era of growth.

Today, as America prepares to mark its 250th birthday, solar and energy storage are writing the next chapter of American prosperity.

These technologies are strengthening domestic manufacturing, boosting energy independence, enhancing military resilience, supporting rural communities, and delivering affordable power to homes and businesses across the country. Solar and storage are more than just a source of electricity. From the invention of the silicon solar cell at New Jersey’s Bell Labs in 1954 to today, they’re a reflection of American ingenuity at work.

A Renaissance of American Manufacturing

America’s future depends on the ability to produce energy and energy technologies here at home. Solar and storage are helping meet that moment. As of last year, every major component in the solar supply chain can now be made in America, reducing reliance on foreign competitors and bringing more energy production back to American shores.

Since 2022, 146 new solar and storage manufacturing facilities have come online and 36 facilities are under active construction. America now has 70 GW of domestic solar module manufacturing capacity, creating new opportunities for workers and driving economic growth in American communities. At full capacity, these factories can produce enough to meet all demand for solar in the United States.

That matters, because energy security is national security.

Bolstering National Security

The surge in American-made solar and energy storage is helping to reduce our dependence on foreign energy and protect America’s energy systems from disruption. It’s also supporting America’s military assets.

Take Onyx Renewables’ 13 MW solar project for example, which is strengthening the energy resilience of the U.S. Army. Once the project is complete, it is anticipated to meet 42% of electricity demand for on-base housing in its first year. Similarly, Duke Energy has installed a floating solar project at Fort Bragg, strengthening the U.S. Army by generating savings of over $2 million in first-year utility costs and increasing energy resilience at mission-critical posts. These investments make our military communities stronger, our infrastructure more resilient, and our nation less dependent on volatile global markets.

Heartland Support  

Solar is also creating new opportunities in the rural communities that have always helped power America.

For farmers, ranchers, and landowners, solar can provide a new source of income while keeping land in family hands. Through agrivoltaics, agricultural production and solar generation can work side by side, allowing families to continue using their land while diversifying revenue. Lease payments can help farms weather difficult years, while new tax revenue supports local schools, roads, emergency services, and public infrastructure.

The best example of this collaboration may be in Christiana, Tennessee where Silicon Ranch’s 40-acre solar project incorporates cattle grazing into their operation. In exchange for vegetation control on site, solar panels offer shade to the cattle herd, leaving “animals less prone to heat stress, enabling them to gain more weight and drink less water.”

At the same time, families and businesses across the country are facing rising energy demand and concerns about affordability. Solar can be deployed quickly, has no fuel cost, and adds critically-needed power to the grid. In the first quarter of 2026, the United States surpassed 6 million cumulative solar installations nationwide.

American Ingenuity

The next chapter of our national story will require abundant, reliable, and American-made energy. It will demand strong supply chains, resilient infrastructure, and a continued commitment to the American Dream that built our nation.

We know American workers, businesses and communities are up to the task. Look at any generation in our country’s history: when challenges emerge, we innovate.

America’s energy future is no different. With American-made solar and storage leading the way, the next 250 years of American greatness, rooted in our humble traditions, is powered up and ready to launch.