California became the first major economy on Earth to get more than half its electricity from solar power for an entire month, hitting 51% in May 2026. A decade earlier, the state's best month for solar — also May — reached just 17%.
Share of California electricity from solar, best month of the year
May 2016
17%
May 2026
51%
Source = Ember, via Canary Media (July 31, 2026)