I know it’s important to keep track of the multitudinous ways that current administrations–at both the state and federal level–are laying waste to our prosperity and trashing the American Idea, but it’s also important to recognize that good people who respect reality and evidence are getting good things done.
While he Trump administration has used over $2.5 billion of our tax dollars to buy out and cancel offshore wind leases. state and private clean energy projects are coming online. As a “good news” newsletter I subscribe to has recently reported,
After more than 18 years of planning, permitting, and construction, the SunZia wind and transmission project is fully operational — a milestone that Pattern Energy Group announced on June 18, 2026 C.E. The 3,650-megawatt wind facility, paired with a 550-mile high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line running from New Mexico to Arizona, now delivers enough electricity to power approximately one million American homes each year.
The project’s 916 wind turbines generate roughly 3,650 megawatts of capacity — more power than the Hoover Dam can produce. Construction of the project–which began in September of 2023– supported employment of more than 2,000 jobs, and going forward will support over 100 permanent jobs across New Mexico and Arizona. As the CEO of Pattern Energy has put it: “SunZia proves that we can still build the consequential infrastructure this country needs.”
The scale is genuinely notable. At full output, SunZia can deliver more electricity than the Hoover Dam — a structure that has defined American energy ambition for nearly a century. This is part of a broader wave of clean energy milestones being set across the United States and around the world as wind and solar capacity accelerates.
I found the fact that this project has been built in the US, despite the efforts of a government beholden to fossil fuel interests, especially gratifying, since most of the reports I see on environmental progress are from other countries: For example, Portugal is opening Europe’s largest floating solar park; Taiwan’s Greater Changhua facility (111 turbines spread across deep water off Taiwan’s west coast) is projected to power around one million households once fully operational; Africa tripled its renewable capacity in 2025; Wales now mandates solar panels on all new construction…the examples go on and on. Virtually every week, there’s news of progress in clean energy generation from somewhere around the globe, in countries that respect science and recognize the reality of climate change.
We may be behind the curve, thanks to the anti-science clowns currently in charge of our federal government, but there are bright spots in the US, thanks to federalism. New York state, for example, is making real progress on its commitment to electrify all 50,000 of its school buses. (Currently more than two million students — disproportionately from low-income New York communities — take diesel buses to school. In addition to environmental concerns, diesel buses have been linked to asthma, reduced lung development, and cognitive harm.) In January of 2025, it was predicted that US offshore wind production would reach 100 gigawatts by the late 2040s. That’s enough energy to power roughly 38 million homes. According to reports, eleven states have set procurement targets totaling 84 gigawatts–if that trajectory holds, it would mark one of the largest clean-energy build-outs in American history.
And while it still seems like science fiction, there are reports that commercial fusion power could be a reality by 2045, thanks to progress by a Commonwealth Fusion Systems’ Arc-3 plant located in Massachusetts–progress made possible by a 2021 breakthrough in high-temperature superconducting magnets.
You can access a compendium of breakthroughs in clean energy worldwide at Peter Schulte.
That compendium is heavily weighted toward breakthroughs elsewhere, reflecting the fact that America’s long dominance in innovation and problem-solving has been strangled by the current culture war efforts to remake what was once a vigorous and open society that encouraged participation from everyone with an idea into a schlerotic society dismissive of science and evidence and in thrall to White “Christian” males.
A glance through the numerous pages detailing reports of environmental progress around the globe makes me far more optimistic about the prospects for humanity. The paucity of entries from the US makes me sad.
I’m convinced that when We the People take back our country from the plutocrats and theocrats, we will once again unleash the kind of American innovation and know-how represented by the SunZia project.
That “Blue Tsunami” can’t come soon enough.
And there’s more good news 2/3 of green energy starts are in states that Trump carried. Local conservative groups are acknowledging job opportunities and growth.
Despite national leadership’s push for fossil fuel dominance, a faction of House Republicans has pushed to reinstate certain clean energy tax credits and energy efficiency programs, arguing that capital-intensive projects need longer policy horizons to succeed.
All of our capital is going to AI and nuclear energy projects that will power all the data centers, so they will not negatively impact consumer demand. Most of the people critical of Silicon Valley are concerned that their innovation is hampered by monopolies. With monopolies, you protect your interests and spend less and less in R&D.
If we are around in 2035, there will be lots of new, cleaner energy coming online. It’s wild to watch all these clean energy breakthroughs in the private sector. Usually, capitalism funds it with taxpayers’ money and then, once it is marketable, bam, the private sector picks it up for nothing.
Here’s the deal: if the BlackRocks or Vanguards chose to fund alternative energy, it will happen regardless of any political nutjob. The USA has become a financial center. If they will it to happen, it will happen.
A significant portion of the great build back better effort post maga-trump will be the various renewable energy efforts already in the planning stages. It will be a flagship of an enormous wave of reinstatement of what was good that suffered removal under djt, sharing the stage with a new America that will shine like never before, releasing a tidal wave of energy and enthusiasm to get back to growing the idea of Woke DEI – the aspirational heart of America before djt – beyond anything we imagined.
theres 3-400 turbines in the local area. NoDak has a high investor rate. many in the coal industry here dislike the competion. the local land owners,lease the spot on thier land for a payment. some land owners have 10 or more. the county minds here inturn cut taxes. then the county is broke again. we gave in for some millions to the county. we’ll sell to any bidder,for whatever. watch what ya wish for.
The small nuclear reactor is the perfect metaphor for the current US political thinking. It’s “cheap” to build, it solves an immediate problem, and who cares that a generation from now you have created a forever problem that will be radioactive for 10,000+ years.
On the plus side, battery energy storage has made amazing technological gains. The argument that the sun doesn’t shine at night or the wind doesn’t always blow is now moot.
Another argument against solar panels is “we’re losing good farm land”. Is harvesting sunshine for six months a year good use when you could be harvesting sunshine 12 months a year?
Yes, after the orange hairball and his knee-ridden idiots leave our government, the potential for innovation in electrical power is virtually unlimited. Europe and Asia has shown many innovative examples of how to employ combinations of methods to generate renewable energy.
I saw a film that showed vertical wind turbines along the median of major highways in Holland (I think) that took the breeze from passing vehicles to generate electricity. EVERY covered parking area in EVERY condo complex should be festooned with solar panels. EVERY building and EVERY home should have some form of solar panel array to produce electricity. Then there is geothermal, tidal and river current methods too.
All this country lacks is the will from greedy capitalists and idiotic, corrupt politicians. Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?
While it is good to recognize that we are still able to do great things like harness more power and build great structures, what really matters, what needs our total focus at this time, is our ability and willingness to keep the ideas and principles given to us by the founding fathers. This is the year to either keep our Constitutional government or allow those ideals to be replaced by a dictatorship. Each and every one of us, as John Adams said, must be willing to stake our lives, our honor and our fortunes on this battle to save our country.
I sometimes wonder whether, or not, Trump is really as dumb as he seems, or is it all a ruse (No climate change) as he kisses up to the fossil fuel industry that has “fueled” his campaigns.
On the other hand, he’s almost certainly dumb and dumber.
Todd, if I’m around to see 2035, I’ll be a really old fart, but, perhaps, a smiling old fart.
Y’all come along , now!
It cost me $19,000. to have a battery added to my solar panels. Most of my neighbors have opted for gas powered generators. That would have cost a little less. The way I saw it was, I could spend a little more and never have to worry about adding propane before or during a hurricane. The only thing my battery won’t power is the pool heater, which doesn’t seem to matter in August and September, when the big storms come. As much as I hate to say it, I have to thank Elon for this gift. He might be an ass, but he has been innovative.
THINK,
VOTE!!!!
Productive farmland does not need to be lost to solar farms. Countries around the world are finding ways to use the slightly elevated panels to grow crops that tolerate partial shade, while allowing longer growing cycles as the panels protect ripening crops from frost, partial shade also conserves ground water lessening the demand for irrigation.
Agrivoltaic practices are becoming more and more realistic and productive not only in places like Germany and France, but here is Wisconsin and Arizona.
All of the naysayers take their cues from the fossil fuel oligarchs who have bought the system for profit.
Technology and human survival somehow almost always find a way.
JD, Good points all. When my wife and I visited China a few years ago, we took a tour through a massive solar panel manufacturing site. Also, everywhere we went we saw buildings festooned with them. EVERY high-rise and solar hot-water heating systems on the roof. It was stunning. Of course, two blocks off of the main streets in Shanghai, and we were back to dirt floors and crumbling hovels.
We do tend to think too much of centralized, corporate owned, energy centers, i.e. solar farm and wind farms.
How about scattered single turbines, solar panels like Peggy installed, or solar water heaters like Vern saw. If every home had solar water heaters, even in the Midwest, we’d save 20% or more on our electrical consumption. Battery backed-up solar panels on each building would save even more.
BTW – I investigated this 30 years ago for my condo in Illinois. The initial investment was too high for our small association, but the beginnings of the technology already existed – patents on solar water heaters are well over 100 years old.
Sheila, you do have an optimistic streak from time to time and it’s on solid ground with this superb blog. The anti-science, pro-fossil fuel crowd does all it can to maintain its position but it’s waning; it’s waning because it makes no sense to pollute, to make climate change worse, and to avoid taking good advantage of the clean alternatives that are now within the monetary range of possibility, by a long shot. Here and elsewhere. As JD says, “technology and human survival somehow almost always find a way.”