Donald Trump’s efforts to impose polluting coal on the US energy market seem to be failing. Americans prefer to install solar panels on their roofs.
Donald Trump’s relentless war against renewable energies is facing strong resistance, as Americans’ interest in clean, locally produced energy continues to grow, as reported by Euronews.
The US President declared a national energy emergency last year to dramatically increase domestic fossil fuel production. In February, Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Defense to purchase more electricity generated by coal, considered the dirtiest and most polluting way of producing energy.
At the same time, Trump has used his public appearances to disdain or make false claims about renewable energy. At the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, Trump claimed that China produces "almost all" the world's turbines just to "sell them to stupid people."
He added that China does not use wind energy for itself, despite Beijing boasting the world's largest wind farm, visible from space.
Previously, Trump called clean energy the "hoax of the century," putting pressure on countries like the UK to abandon renewable energy campaigns and extract oil.
Trump's War on Windmills
Last year, the Trump Administration tried to block a series of offshore wind projects, arguing that such infrastructure would pose a risk to national security.
Several federal judges blocked the ban, allowing developers to continue their expansion.
However, the Department of the Interior then started to buy back leasing contracts for offshore wind parks, offering companies reimbursements if they invest in fossil fuel projects or other forms of energy, such as geothermal energy.
Eight offshore wind projects have been halted so far. According to the AP news agency, the total amount spent on these agreements is nearly $2.6 billion (approximately €2.28 billion).
In March, the French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies was offered nearly a billion dollars ($877 million euros) if it invests in fossil fuels, amounts initially intended for offshore leasing contracts off the coasts of North Carolina and New York.
However, a court in Paris ruled on Thursday that TotalEnergies can no longer ignore its indirect emissions and environmental risks caused by the consumption of its products. The company has been given six months to assess and officially report on the environmental risks generated by the use of fuels and natural gases by consumers.
California Rebels
Last week, AP reported that the state of California intends to sue the US administration for its decision to halt a proposed offshore wind project off the central coast of the state.
California has made a major commitment to offshore wind energy due to its potential to generate vast amounts of clean electricity from its strong and consistent coastal winds. Its strategy involves developing 25 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2045, enough to power approximately 25 million homes and provide about 13% of the state's electricity.
David Hochschild, the Chair of the California Energy Commission, called Washington's tactics a "strategic mistake of colossal proportions," especially as the war against Iran has led to rising fossil fuel prices worldwide.
However, Trump is not only obsessed with stopping wind farms. The legislative package "Big Beautiful Bill," enacted on July 4 last year, eliminated the 30% residential solar tax credit nearly a decade ahead of schedule.
Homeowners looking to install solar panels now will pay an average of $9,000 more than before the law took effect on December 31, 2025, according to Energy Sage.
Solar Energy Surpasses Coal in the US
Despite major obstacles, in May, solar energy exceeded coal-based production in the US energy mix, marking a historic first.
According to the energy analysis organization Ember, solar energy accounted for a record share of 12.8% of electricity produced in the US, while coal's share dropped to 12.2% - the fourth lowest monthly value ever recorded.
"Solar energy generated a total record volume of 45.5 TWh, exceeding May 2025 production by 17% and surpassing the previous record set in July last year," Ember specifies. "This record could be broken again in the upcoming summer months."
Although total solar energy production usually peaks in June or July, its share in the energy mix often reaches its highest level in April or May, a period when intense solar production coincides with lower demand before the increase in energy needed for summer cooling.
Americans Choose to Own Their Energy
The demand for rooftop panels is still growing, despite discouraging financial factors, several US solar panel firms told Euronews.
SolarTech, a California-based company, says its 2025 sales doubled compared to 2024 - while Exact Solar, based in Pennsylvania, saw a 20% sales increase in 2024 and a 60% increase in 2025.
Although these sales could be attributed to the rush to install solar panels before the tax reduction takes effect, solar policy and research specialist Aaron Nichols said Exact Solar is now on track to double its revenue this year and grow by 100%.
"Even with the current administration's elimination of solar energy tax incentives and attempts to revive coal, more and more Americans are choosing to own their energy rather than rent it from investor-owned, poorly regulated utility companies," Nichols said.
"Exact Solar has grown faster in the past two years than ever in our 20-year history. It is becoming increasingly clear that Americans want the ownership rights and control that solar energy offers," he added.
New York Approaches a Solar Transformation
Last month, New York state lawmakers passed the Solar Up Now New York (SUNNY) Act, which aims to legalize plug-in solar panels.
Approximately 30 states have already legalized plug-in solar panels, which are already common in Europe, especially in Germany.
Plug-in solar kits are designed for homes where roof panels are not suitable, ideal for people living in apartments or those who do not own the house they live in.
The bill is set to be presented and signed by Governor Kathy Hochul, who has until the end of the year to make a decision.
In the US, nearly half of households do not have access to rooftop solar panels due to renting, living in apartments, or unsuitable roofs. This is even more evident in New York, where most homes are in multi-unit buildings, limiting accessibility to rooftop photovoltaic panels.
The New York Times' Robinson Meyer argues that plug-in solar energy has the potential to "change how Americans understand and consume energy," while "bringing together a much larger group of people to reduce greenhouse gas pollution - especially renters."
However, considering that per capita energy sector emissions are 2.8 times higher than the global average and the second-highest electricity demand in the world, it is clear that the United States is still far from the clean energy transition needed to halt global warming, concludes the cited source.
T.D.