In China, new wind turbines are sprouting up like mushrooms from the ground. 110 gigawatts of new wind capacity is expected to be added this year, according to an analysis in Carbon Brief. This means that 150 new turbines are being set up every day. On the other side of the Pacific, the American government is doing the opposite.
We do not allow any wind turbines to be set up, said Donald Trump last week, and added that the exception was if it was a situation where someone had been promised it a long time ago.
Here are eight examples of how the US government is counteracting wind energy.
Freezing new permits. Already on the first day in power, a large and sweeping presidential decree was issued - aimed directly at the wind power industry. All ongoing permit reviews for wind turbines on federal land and in federal waters were frozen. Even turbines on private land are affected because in some cases, approval from various authorities is required. The freeze was supposed to be temporary, but still applies.
Construction stop. The Trump administration ordered on August 22 that construction be stopped on the Revolution Wind wind farm off the coast of Rhode Island, where 70 percent of the 65 turbines are already in place. The park is being built by the Danish company Ørsted. In April, construction was stopped on Equinor's Empire Wind project off Long Island in New York, but after negotiations with the state's governor, it was able to resume after a month.
Tariffs: On August 19, the US Department of Commerce announced that wind turbines and components will be subject to US import tariffs on steel and aluminum of 50 percent. The US imported wind components worth $2.83 billion last year, according to an analysis from Capstone, with the largest share coming from Germany.
Investigation. The US Department of Commerce launched a national investigation into the import of wind turbines in August, to see if they pose a threat to national security and domestic production. This could lead to extensive additional tariffs, which is expected to be particularly painful for, for example, the Danish company Vestas and the Norwegian company Equinor, which rely on imports for their large American projects, according to Bloomberg.
Withdrawn permits. Earlier in August, the US Department of the Interior withdrew the permit for the construction of the giant Lava Ridge Wind Project in southern Idaho, which was intended to have 231 turbines. Court documents also indicate that the government wants to revoke the permits for Maryland Offshore, with 114 power plants, which have not yet started construction.
Phasing out support. In Trump's economic package "One big beautiful bill”, most tax deductions aimed at wind and solar projects are being phased out. From previously being planned until 2032, projects must have started by the beginning of July next year to be eligible for the deductions. When the subsidies disappear, it may mean that 72 percent of planned wind and solar projects are withdrawn. This involves $222 billion in investments in wind, solar, and storage that will not be made, according to the research institute Rhodium.
Making imports more difficult. In Trump's new package, it is not possible to get tax deductions for projects that are constructed with the help of parts or companies from designated countries such as China, North Korea, and Russia. For wind power projects, this can be painful, as many wind power components are manufactured in China. Even Chinese companies that have factories on American soil are said to be affected, but how is still unclear.
Withdrawn investments. The Department of Transportation announced at the end of August that it is withdrawing investments of $679 million, including those intended for investments in port terminals where offshore turbines would be assembled, according to The New York Times.
Abandoned projects. Trump's policy has already had an effect, with wind projects being scrapped. For example, the Atlantic Shores wind project in New Jersey with 195 turbines, a hard blow to the state's plans to only have green energy by 2035. The Italian company Prysmian canceled its plans for a cable factory for offshore wind power, an investment worth $200 million, in Massachusetts in January. And the German company RWE announced in the spring that it is stopping work on its American projects, valued at $1.1 billion.
