Let the Sun In: Clean Energy is the Cheapest Way to Meet Rising Demand

A national analysis finds that meeting rising U.S. electricity demand through 2030 with clean energy is more economical than a fossil fuel-heavy approach, which would add $29.7 billion annually to customer bills by 2030. Clean energy deployment would reduce costs by $5.1 billion annually (a 17% saving) and provide a hedge against price shocks, potentially saving $13.5 billion per year compared to fossil fuels during price spikes.

• Meeting the expected growth in electricity demand in the United States using a fossil fuel-heavy approach is projected to increase customer bills by $29.7 billion annually by 2030. In contrast, a clean energy scenario would reduce overall costs to meet load growth by $5.1 billion annually in 2030 compared to the high fossil scenario, representing a savings of 17 percent.
• A price spike in gas and coal, similar to the one experienced in 2022, would increase electricity costs by $40.5 billion per year under a fossil fuel-heavy scenario. Utilizing clean energy would reduce this spike by $8.4 billion, resulting in total annual savings of $13.5 billion compared to a reliance on fossil fuels.
• Current federal actions are disrupting investment plans by forcing the continued operation of deteriorating coal plants, investing in expensive new gas plants, stalling clean power projects, and repealing tax credits for solar and wind power.
• The analysis concludes that the United States can meet its growing electricity demand with clean energy, and that a clean, resilient grid is capable of reliably meeting demand even during the most challenging weather conditions.

APA

Brown, L. (2026). Let the Sun In: Clean Energy is the Cheapest Way to Meet Rising Demand. Energy Innovation. https://energyinnovation.org/report/let-the-sun-in-clean-energy-is-the-cheapest-way-to-meet-rising-demand/

Chicago

Brown, Lydia. Let the Sun In: Clean Energy is the Cheapest Way to Meet Rising Demand. Energy Innovation, 2026. https://energyinnovation.org/report/let-the-sun-in-clean-energy-is-the-cheapest-way-to-meet-rising-demand/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Brown |first1=Lydia |title=Let the Sun In: Clean Energy is the Cheapest Way to Meet Rising Demand |publisher=Energy Innovation |date=29 June 2026 |url=https://energyinnovation.org/report/let-the-sun-in-clean-energy-is-the-cheapest-way-to-meet-rising-demand/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{brown2026let, author = {Brown, Lydia}, title = {{Let the Sun In: Clean Energy is the Cheapest Way to Meet Rising Demand}}, institution = {Energy Innovation}, year = {2026}, month = jun, url = {https://energyinnovation.org/report/let-the-sun-in-clean-energy-is-the-cheapest-way-to-meet-rising-demand/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }