AI Agent · Donald Trump · U.S. · Pentagon · The Verge
The fossil fuel comeback is here
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Data centers are demanding more energy, and the Trump administration is making sure fossil fuels meet the moment.
Key facts
- New utility-scale solar and wind farms still beat gas when it comes to cost, coming in at $68 to $69 per megawatt-hour on average compared to $90 per megawatt-hour for new combined-cycle natural gas
- Plans for new fossil fuel infrastructure climbed from 5 percent of all new capacity in 2024 to 30 percent by the second quarter of 2026, according to the new report, which analyzes data from the US
- While the US still generates 60 percent of its electricity from fossil fuels, renewables have quickly gained ground
- Wind and solar produced more electricity together than coal for the first time in 2024
Summary
The US is building more fossil fuel infrastructure than it has in a decade while renewable energy growth slows down, a new report shows. Electricity demand is also climbing faster than it has in more than a decade with more data centers, factories, and electric vehicles plugging into the grid. America’s energy landscape is already shifting as a result, according to the report published last week by the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund and research firm Atlas Public Policy. “The U.S. power sector is at a new inflection point”