US clean energy boom projected to defy Trump curbs; demand to surge by 2035
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
US clean energy investment surged 45% in Q2 2026 from the prior quarter, led by residential solar, batteries, and EVs, according to Rhodium Group. The boom is driven by expectations of 39% electricity demand growth by 2035 and rising power prices. It continues even as courts block Trump administration efforts to halt wind projects.
Key Facts
- US power consumption is expected to grow 39% by 2035, according to consultancy ICF.
- New solar and wind sites have a lead time of less than two years, compared to at least three years for gas projects, according to RMI.
- Producers can break even selling solar and wind power for as little as $38 and $37 per megawatt-hour, respectively, versus at least $48 for gas, according to Lazard.
- Consumer investment in residential solar, batteries, and zero-emission vehicles rose 45% quarter-over-quarter and 21% year-over-year in Q2 2026, according to Rhodium Group.
- US courts have blocked all five administration attempts to halt construction at East Coast offshore wind projects.
Demand Surge
US power consumption is expected to grow 39 percent by 2035, according to consultancy ICF, driven by energy-hungry data centers and the electrification of household appliances and transport. The surge comes after demand remained steady for more than a decade. Renewable power developers stand to profit as electricity prices are expected to rise 40 to 120 percent once Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act subsidies expire. Ethan Zindler, head of country and policy research at BloombergNEF, said data centers need power “basically yesterday.”
Cost Advantage
Solar and wind are among the quickest, cheapest forms of energy to add to the grid, according to RMI. New solar and wind sites have a lead time of less than two years, compared to at least three years to develop gas projects. Producers can break even by selling solar and wind power for as little as $38 and $37 per megawatt-hour, respectively, compared to at least $48 per megawatt-hour for gas, according to investment bank Lazard. These figures do not fully account for system upgrade costs and batteries to smooth out intermittency.
Policy Pushback
US courts have slowed Trump’s war on green energy. A district court judge in Oregon recently ordered the Pentagon to cease blocking onshore wind development. The courts have blocked all five of the administration’s attempts to halt construction at wind projects off the US’s East Coast. Developers are having some success lobbying the administration directly, leaning on people with ties to the administration to advocate for individual projects. Cliff Graham, chief executive at clean energy company Avantus, said the administration is “pretty pragmatic” on permits.
1 source
US clean energy boom projected to defy Trump curbs; demand to surge by 2035
