Wind Energy Grift is Collapsing Under Weight of Trump’s Executive Order
Wind energy projects have been halted and key players are pulling out of arrangements that are unpopular with the locals.
Immediately upon taking office, President Donald Trump took significant action against offshore wind projects. He signed an executive order that halts all new and renewed approvals, permits, leases, and loans for both onshore and offshore wind projects.
His sweeping order has a fairly lengthy title that hits all the key elements: “Temporary Withdrawal of All Areas on the Outer Continental Shelf from Offshore Wind Leasing and Review of the Federal Government’s Leasing and Permitting Practices for Wind Projects.”
The declaration is already bearing fruit, as wind energy projects have been halted, and key players are pulling out of unpopular arrangements with the locals.
To begin with, the cancellation of the Lava Ridge Wind Energy Project, which would have turned a stretch of southern Idaho into a sea of ugly wind turbines, has brought joy to the people of the state.
…[I]t was Idaho Sen. Jim Risch who wrote the executive order that was signed by President Donald Trump. The senator may never have a more joyful assignment from the president.
…“I made a promise to Idahoans that I would not rest until the Lava Ridge Wind Project was terminated. On day one, President Donald Trump took action to keep that promise,” Risch said. “Lava Ridge has been the embodiment of liberals’ disregard for the voices of Idahoans and rural America,” he said.
“Despite intense and widespread opposition from Idaho and the Japanese American community, the previous administration remained dead set on pushing this unwanted project across the finish line. Finally, our nation has a leader who recognizes that people on the ground should have a say in how our natural resources are managed.”
The Atlantic Shores offshore wind project was a significant renewable energy development off the coast of New Jersey. The project, owned by Shell New Energies and EDF Renewables, received federal approval to start construction in October 2024.
Note that I used the past tense, as Shell has pulled out of the deal.
Shell has effectively withdrawn from New Jersey’s first offshore wind farm, Atlantic Shores — marking the latest major setback to the state’s clean energy ambitions.
Spokespeople told NJ Advance Media on Thursday that the developer remained committed to the project.
At the end of last year, Atlantic Shores (made up of both Shell New Energies US and EDF Renewables North America) noted that its plans for nearly 200 wind turbines were on schedule.
In December 2024, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) approved the Construction and Operations Plan for the Maryland Offshore Wind project, the final federal approval needed. This approval allows for the construction of up to 114 wind turbines, generating over 2 gigawatts of clean energy.
Construction was supposed to start in 202g. Its future is now….uncertain. The local residents want no part of the project.
In October 2024, Ocean City leaders, along with local businesses, filed a lawsuit against the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), saying there would be negative impacts on the local environment, and tourism and fishing industries.
Leaders said they hired a consultant to express their concerns with BOEM and the project developer but felt the concerns fell on deaf ears.
Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan said he was concerned about the impact on the local viewshed. He also feared the project would burden taxpayers who may take on a wind tax.
“We’re concerned about the carbon footprint. We’re concerned about our environment, but we don’t think a bad project is the answer,” Meehan said. “There are so many things about this project that have just not been vetted properly.”
I suspect that officials in the Trump administration will be more receptive to the concerns of the residents. So, I think that the project is now a no go.
Now for some final good news for those who like cheap, efficient energy that doesn’t pose a massive threat to wildlife: wind turbine manufacturers and renewable energy companies have experienced significant stock market declines since the executive order. The Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas and wind developer Orsted fell nearly 7% in the wake of Trump’s actions.
I suspect stock shares will dip further Trump’s team stops more of the grifting.
DONATE
Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.
Comments
I will be interested to see what happens with Wind Power here in Texas. Here, at least, apparently it has been effective and profitable.
“Texas has led the U.S. in wind energy over the past 17 years, largely because its abundant space and optimal wind conditions make it an ideal location to capture this resource.
In 2022, Texas wind generated 40,556 megawatts (MW), accounting for more than 26 percent of all U.S. wind-sourced electricity.
https://comptroller.texas.gov/economy/economic-data/energy/2023/wind-snap.php
And yet,
“The financial disparity between renewables and traditional energy sources becomes even starker when considering the subsidies per unit of energy produced. Wind energy has required about 48 times more in subsidies than oil and gas per unit of electricity generated, while solar energy’s dependency is even higher, needing roughly 168 times more subsidies. This disparity highlights a fundamental issue: renewable energy, especially solar, struggles to remain competitive without substantial federal support.”
https://www.texaspolicyresearch.com/federal-energy-subsidies-distort-the-market-and-impact-texas-a-closer-look-at-the-true-costs/
Maybe Texas can capitalize on this surplus, just like my intention to capitalize on the EV market tanking.
There are such things as puts and calls in the financial market.
The Bride and I were on a two week trip to Great Britain with a church group two years ago. Wind mills are all over the place. I remember thinking how beautiful a particular stretch of countryside would be without the rotating blades ruining the view. Nothing like something artificial to spoil nature.
.
We used to kill whales for oil.
Now we kill whales for wind.
https://x.com/iluminatibot/status/1885144753735413825