Aerial view of the Engie Sun Valley photovoltaic project in Hill County, Texas, on March 1, 2023. MARK FELIX/AFP
Between the climate skeptic positions of the White House and the conflict in the Middle East, which has brought fossil fuels back to the center of public debate, advocates for renewable energy have faced significant challenges in the United States. CERAWeek, a major annual global gathering of energy suppliers in Houston, Texas, underscored at the end of March the trend toward prioritizing energy security over climate concerns.
US President Donald Trump dismantled the major plan established under his predecessor Joe Biden to fund renewable energies through the Inflation Reduction Act. He has shown fierce hostility toward wind turbines, which he has publicly criticized. His administration blocked several major offshore wind projects along the East Coast. While the developers of these massive projects have turned to the courts to defend their interests, delays could eventually undermine the financial viability of these ventures.
"That acrimony is very difficult to understand, especially for a government that claims to focus on reliability and reducing energy costs. They should instead be promoting all energy sources," said Dan Grossman, vice president of the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), a non-governmental organization. "Donald Trump wants to pick winners and losers. And he has clearly decided in favor of fossil fuels."
