alt Hacker NewsHuge, generational mistake for the USA to be leaning so hard into fossil fuels right now and actively trying to prevent buildout of solar and wind power. That decision is just going to hurt more and more in the coming years as China's electricity costs continue to plummet while the US' continues to depend on unsustainable fossil fuel infrastructure.
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> actively trying to prevent buildout of solar and wind power.
And actually paying people not to ! (Paying RWE $1.2bn to abandon wind contracts[1])
Its absolutely nuts. Pure generational can-kicking.
One of countless mistakes made by the current administration. Decimating research funding and firing many scientists is another.
> Huge, generational mistake for the USA to be leaning so hard into fossil fuels right now and actively trying to prevent buildout of solar and wind power.
If the US is trying that, they are failing pretty hard - 88% of new power in the US in 2025 was renewables, and 2026 is estimated to be above 90%
Why? AI DCs can't rely on solar or wind so there must always be a thermal backstop. China is building lots of coal and nuclear.
It's hilarious and depressing that one of Trump's supposed goals was making the US into an industrial powerhouse again, and yet he's acting to protect the profits of the fossil fuel industry as opposed to encouraging the kind of resource efficiency that would make the US competitive long term.
Reality: renewables rapidly increasing in the US every year, especially solar (around 30%)