The United States’ hourly demand for electricity broke two records last month, reaching its highest-ever level—759,190 megawatts—on July 29. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects demand to keep rising, especially in states with expanding data center and manufacturing industries, such as Texas and Virginia.

Most of this demand will continue to be met by nonrenewable sources, primarily fossil fuels, which accounted for 91% of U.S. energy consumption in 2023. Still, solar consumption has steadily increased over the past 35 years, according to the EIA, and new research suggests boosting solar use could significantly reduce carbon emissions.

A new study published in Science Advances found that increasing solar generation by 15% nationwide could lower annual carbon dioxide (CO2)

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