Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his opposition to solar and wind energy on his social media platform Truth Social, stating, “We will not approve wind turbines or solar projects that destroy farmland.” However, despite the Trump administration’s implementation of multiple restrictive measures, renewable energy continues to dominate new power projects in the United States.
Although Trump claims that solar development harms agriculture, a 2024 study revealed that approximately 424,000 acres of land were affected by solar and wind projects in 2020, accounting for less than 0.05% of the nearly 900 million acres of U.S. agricultural land. Moreover, most of this land can still be used for agricultural purposes after project completion.
During his second term, the Trump administration has taken a series of actions to restrict renewable energy, aligning with the Congress-passed “Beautiful and Massive Act,” which undermines clean energy initiatives. These measures include:
- The Treasury Department tightening eligibility criteria for federal tax credits for solar and wind projects;
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revoking $7 billion in “Solar for All” grants aimed at supporting community solar programs for low-income households;
- Requiring solar and wind projects on federal lands to undergo “final review” by Trump-appointed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum;
- The Department of Agriculture terminating $4 billion in funding for solar projects under the “Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)” targeted at farms and small businesses;
- Expanding generalized tariffs on most commodities, including increased duties on energy equipment and critical materials such as steel and aluminum.
Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) indicates that the United States is expected to add a record 64 GW of new capacity in 2025, surpassing the 58 GW added in 2002 (of which 57 GW came from natural gas). For the first time, zero-emission energy sources are set to dominate new capacity additions this year. Solar power is projected to contribute 33.3 GW, followed by 18.3 GW from battery storage, 7.8 GW from wind power, and 4.7 GW from natural gas.
Asset management firm Lazard notes that even without subsidies, the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for solar and wind power is lower than almost all fossil fuel projects. In the current high electricity demand environment, renewable energy remains the cheapest and fastest-to-deploy power source and will continue to play a central role in new U.S. power capacity. Moving forward, the trajectory of the U.S. renewable energy industry will be closely watched as the Trump administration’s restrictive policies contend with market development needs.
