A Powerful Essay On Renewable Energy Exposes US To Ridicule

The article critiques the current U.S. administration’s approach to renewable energy, highlighting an essay by climate activist Bill McKibben published in The New Yorker. McKibben emphasizes the rapid growth of solar power, noting that the world installed its first terawatt of solar capacity over nearly seven decades, but subsequent terawatts have come much faster due to modern, mass-produced solar technology. He also underscores that wind energy, driven by solar-induced atmospheric movements, is a significant but often overlooked component of the renewable energy landscape. Despite this momentum, the article argues that the U.S. government, particularly under President Donald Trump’s administration, has hindered progress, especially in offshore wind development. The U.S. offshore wind industry, with its vast potential given the country’s extensive coastlines and infrastructure expertise, has faced setbacks due to shifting federal policies. While the Trump administration initially accelerated offshore wind leasing, it later halted the federal offshore lease program, stalling many projects. Although some projects began