Trump admin abandons fight against wind energy as clean energy output surges
3 hours ago
- #clean energy growth
- #wind energy
- #legal victory
- The Trump administration dropped its appeal against a court ruling that overturned an executive order freezing federal wind project permitting and leasing.
- A coalition of 17 states and Washington D.C. led by New York Attorney General Letitia James successfully challenged the order, with courts declaring it 'arbitrary and capricious'.
- Clean energy production continues to grow despite policy hurdles, with projections of 79.7 GW coming online in 2026 and a robust pipeline of 693 GW announced.
- A federal court also restored a key tax-credit pathway for wind and solar by overturning a Treasury rule that hindered eligibility.
- Natural gas capacity has surged, increasing by 20.7 GW in early 2026, while fossil fuels' share of planned capacity has tripled since 2022.
- 80% of clean power capacity is in Republican congressional districts, with Texas leading at 164 GW, though experts note land costs and interconnection policies are key factors.