Clean, Sustainable & Renewable Energy Power Source's Worldwide & in the U.S.

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☀️ Axios interview: Solar over wind

Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photo: Thomas Kronsteiner/Getty Images

Energy Secretary Chris Wright — in an exclusive interview with Axios' Amy Harder and Ben Geman for today's launch of Axios Future of Energy — said he sees a brighter future for solar power than wind, an energy source President Trump famously dislikes. Why it matters: Wright is powerful in Trump 2.0 — a point man for the White House "dominance" agenda on fossil fuels, powering AI data centers, and shredding Biden-era climate playbooks. ?️ Zoom in: "Solar will continue to grow," Wright said, responding to a question about whether solar and wind play a part in the "energy dominance" agenda. Wright cited solar's "energy density" edge over wind: "It's cheaper, faster to assemble. ... It has a role." "Wind, with the end of subsidies, you probably don't see a lot of wind get built," Wright said. Full interview ...

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☀️ Stat du jour: Renewable power milestone

Illustration: Gabriella Turrisi/Axios

Worldwide solar and wind power have grown faster than electricity demand growth this year, AP writes from a report by the energy think tank Ember. For the first time on record, renewable energies combined generated more power than coal. Global solar (+31%) and wind (+7.7%) generation combined grew by more than 400 terawatt hours in the first half of 2025 — more than overall global demand increased in the same period. Explore the data.

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? Clean-energy investment record

Data: Rhodium Group. Chart: Axios Visuals Consumers scrambling to take advantage of expiring tax credits for electric cars drove a record-breaking $75 billion quarter of U.S. clean-energy investments, Axios' Amy Harder writes from a report by the Rhodium Group and MIT. Reality check: This is poised to be a high-water mark for such investments, since a rush to beat expiring tax credits only happens once.

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Hidden clean energy

There’s not much to see in the western Nevada desert beyond the expanse of sand, dotted by sagebrush flats and surrounded by craggy mountains. But beneath the desert’s dry surface lies a massive reservoir of hot water that could be the first of many hidden sources of clean energy.

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🔋 Renewables get war boost

Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios Early signs are emerging that the energy shock tied to the Iran war could boost the global spread of renewables and other climate-friendly tech, Axios' Ben Geman writes. 🏭 Global power generation from fossil fuels was down in the first month of the conflict, per the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Solar and wind power were up. (See the data.) 🪨 The other side: Research and consulting firm Wood Mackenzie says war-related disruptions are "triggering a rebound" in global coal demand as countries scramble to make up for natural gas shortages. Go deeper.

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Clean energy gets Iran boost

Illustration: Gabriella Turrisi/Axios There's new evidence that the Iran war is boosting global clean energy uptake, Axios' Ben Geman reports. 🇨🇳 China's solar exports soared in March, per think tank Ember and energy research firm BloombergNEF. 🇰🇷 South Korea's domestic EV sales more than doubled last month year over year, Bloomberg reports. Solar panel imports were up nearly 140%. 🇪🇺 March EV sales also surged in the EU, with larger year over year growth than in either of the prior two months. European leaders say they're going to get even more aggressive on electrification. Reality check: Solar and EVs were already growing fast in many places, making it tough to suss out the war's true impact. Coal is also rising in some places, like South Korea. 🛢️ Some countries are sticking with oil and gas, but importing it from regions outside the Gulf. Norway is reopening North Sea gas fields, while U.S. oil and petroleum exports have surged amid the war. The bottom line: Tatiana Mitrova, a fellow at Columbia's Center on Global Energy Policy, tells Axios that it's "still too early to say that the Iran war is clearly accelerating the whole transition." "But there are already concrete signs that it's making solar, storage and electrification-related choices more attractive through an energy-security lens." Go deeper.

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☀️ Solar boom state

Data: U.S. Energy Information Administration; Chart: Ben Geman/Axios Utility-scale solar power generation is expected to soar past coal-fired power in Texas this year, Ben Geman reports from new Energy Information Administration data. The heart of the nation's oil-and-gas industry is also renewables country, thanks to abundant resources, developer-friendly rules, rising demand and more. 🔌 The chart above shows the trend in areas covered by ERCOT, which operates most of Texas' power grid. Texas will be home to 40% of all new U.S. solar capacity this year, per the EIA's projections. See the data.

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☀️ Chart du jour

Data: Ember. Chart: Ben Geman/Axios Solar energy's share of the U.S. electricity mix was 12.8% last month, Axios energy expert Ben Geman tells us. Why it matters: It's the first time solar outpaced coal on a monthly basis, according to clean energy think tank Ember's analysis. Go deeper. ps:This is something that should've happen years ago!!! We wouldn't be in this mess if we had!!!

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📉 Charted: Wind energy slowdown

Data: U.S. Energy Information Administration. Chart: Ben Geman/Axios The U.S. wind sector was already lagging behind solar before the second Trump administration began piling on new restrictions, Axios' Ben Geman writes. Headwinds in recent years have included high interest rates, not enough power lines to carry electricity where it's needed, supply chain snags and stiff competition from solar and gas. Trump is now squeezing the industry on multiple fronts. That includes the Pentagon allegedly stalling once-routine reviews that wind projects need for FAA approval.

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Trump seems to be going in both directions, we have this..

"

Executive Order 14154

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: 

Section 1.  Background.  America is blessed with an abundance of energy and natural resources that have historically powered our Nation’s economic prosperity.  In recent years, burdensome and ideologically motivated regulations have impeded the development of these resources, limited the generation of reliable and affordable electricity, reduced job creation, and inflicted high energy costs upon our citizens.  These high energy costs devastate American consumers by driving up the cost of transportation, heating, utilities, farming, and manufacturing, while weakening our national security.

It is thus in the national interest to unleash America’s affordable and reliable energy and natural resources.  This will restore American prosperity —- including for those men and women who have been forgotten by our economy in recent years.  It will also rebuild our Nation’s economic and military security, which will deliver peace through strength.

Sec. 2.  Policy.  It is the policy of the United States:

(a)  to encourage energy exploration and production on Federal lands and waters, including on the Outer Continental Shelf, in order to meet the needs of our citizens and solidify the United States as a global energy leader long into the future;

(b)  to establish our position as the leading producer and processor of non-fuel minerals, including rare earth minerals, which will create jobs and prosperity at home, strengthen supply chains for the United States and its allies, and reduce the global influence of malign and adversarial states;

(c)  to protect the United States’s economic and national security and military preparedness by ensuring that an abundant supply of reliable energy is readily accessible in every State and territory of the Nation;

(d)  to ensure that all regulatory requirements related to energy are grounded in clearly applicable law;

(e)  to eliminate the “electric vehicle (EV) mandate” and promote true consumer choice, which is essential for economic growth and innovation, by removing regulatory barriers to motor vehicle access; by ensuring a level regulatory playing field for consumer choice in vehicles; by terminating, where appropriate, state emissions waivers that function to limit sales of gasoline-powered automobiles; and by considering the elimination of unfair subsidies and other ill-conceived government-imposed market distortions that favor EVs over other technologies and effectively mandate their purchase by individuals, private businesses, and government entities alike by rendering other types of vehicles unaffordable;           

(f)  to safeguard the American people’s freedom to choose from a variety of goods and appliances, including but not limited to lightbulbs, dishwashers, washing machines, gas stoves, water heaters, toilets, and shower heads, and to promote market competition and innovation within the manufacturing and appliance industries;

(g)  to ensure that the global effects of a rule, regulation, or action shall, whenever evaluated, be reported separately from its domestic costs and benefits, in order to promote sound regulatory decision making and prioritize the interests of the American people;

(h)  to guarantee that all executive departments and agencies (agencies) provide opportunity for public comment and rigorous, peer-reviewed scientific analysis; and

(i)  to ensure that no Federal funding be employed in a manner contrary to the principles outlined in this section, unless required by law.  

Sec. 3.  Immediate Review of All Agency Actions that Potentially Burden the Development of Domestic Energy Resources.  (a)  The heads of all agencies shall review all existing regulations, orders, guidance documents, policies, settlements, consent orders, and any other agency actions (collectively, agency actions) to identify those agency actions that impose an undue burden on the identification, development, or use of domestic energy resources — with particular attention to oil, natural gas, coal, hydropower, biofuels, critical mineral, and nuclear energy resources — or that are otherwise inconsistent with the policy set forth in section 2 of this order, including restrictions on consumer choice of vehicles and appliances.    

(b)  Within 30 days of the date of this order, the head of each agency shall, in consultation with the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the National Economic Council (NEC), develop and begin implementing action plans to suspend, revise, or rescind all agency actions identified as unduly burdensome under subsection (a) of this section, as expeditiously as possible and consistent with applicable law.  The head of any agency who determines that such agency does not have agency actions described in subsection (a) of this section shall submit to the Director of OMB a written statement to that effect and, absent a determination by the Director of OMB that such agency does have agency actions described in this subsection, shall have no further responsibilities under this section.

(c)  Agencies shall promptly notify the Attorney General of any steps taken pursuant to subsection (a) of this section so that the Attorney General may, as appropriate:

(i)   provide notice of this Executive Order and any such actions to any court with jurisdiction over pending litigation in which such actions may be relevant; and

(ii)  request that such court stay or otherwise delay further litigation, or seek other appropriate relief consistent with this order, pending the completion of the administrative actions described in this order.

(d)  Pursuant to the policy outlined in section 2 of this order, the Attorney General shall consider whether pending litigation against illegal, dangerous, or harmful policies should be resolved through stays or other relief." https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/unleashing-american-energy/

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And we have this..

"9 Key Takeaways from President Trump’s Executive Orders on Nuclear Energy

Breaking down the President's plan to usher in a nuclear renaissance and expand America’s Energy Dominance agenda.

On May 23, President Trump announced four executive orders aimed at reinvigorating America’s nuclear energy industry.  

The orders lay out a plan to modernize nuclear regulation, streamline nuclear reactor testing, deploy nuclear reactors for national security, and reinvigorate the nuclear industrial base.  

Together, they represent a bold new strategy for unleashing American energy and continuing our nation’s dominance as the world’s nuclear energy leader. 

Let’s take a closer look at some of the key changes outlined in the executive orders: 

1. Speed up Nuclear Reactor Licensing

President Trump wants the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to play a large role in significantly reducing regulatory risks to accelerate nuclear reactor licensing. 

The executive orders instruct the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to create an expedited pathway to approve reactors that have been safely tested by DOE or the Department of Defense (DoD). Also included is a comprehensive review of the NRC and the establishment of a deadline to evaluate and approve new construction and operation licenses within 18 months.  

2. Add 300 Gigawatts of New U.S. Nuclear Capacity by 2050

 

Palisades could become the first recommissioned U.S. nuclear power plant.

Holtec International

The United States is the number one producer of nuclear energy in the world, but just three of the nation’s commercial nuclear reactors were completed in the 21st century. President Trump’s executive orders seek to accelerate deployment of new nuclear reactor technologies and expand American nuclear energy capacity from around 100 GW today to 400 GW by 2050. That includes: 

• Working with industry to facilitate 5 gigawatts of power uprates  
• Leveraging the Department’s Loan Programs Office to support reactor restarts and finish partially completed construction projects 
• Improving supply chains 
• Having 10 new large reactors with complete designs under construction by 2030 

3. Lay the Groundwork for Faster Reactor Testing

The executive order proposes that three pilot reactors could be built and tested outside of the national laboratories with the goal of achieving criticality by July 4, 2026, as part of an overarching plan to shorten the length of time it takes to test advanced reactors.

Going forward, DOE will revise its regulations and guidance for expedited review and approval of reactor projects under its supervision. The Department will also use all available authorities to eliminate or expedite its environmental reviews for authorizations, permits, approvals, leases, and any other activity requested by an applicant or potential applicant.

4. Deploy U.S. Reactors for AI and Military Bases

 

Project Pele microreactor

DoD

Advanced nuclear technology is cited in the executive orders as a pivotal element of President Trump’s national security strategy. He directed DOE to designate AI data centers as critical defense facilities and tasked the Secretary of Energy with utilizing all available legal authorities to site, approve, and authorize deployment of advanced reactors to power them. DOE will lay the groundwork for building and operating an advanced nuclear reactor supporting AI or other critical infrastructure no later than October 2027. 

DoD was also directed to build a nuclear reactor at a domestic military installation to commence operations within the next three years, with DOE providing the technical advice needed for the design, construction, and operation of these military installation reactors. The two agencies were also instructed to coordinate on assessing the feasibility of restarting or repurposing closed nuclear power plants as energy hubs for military microgrid support. 

5. Explore Fuel Recycling and Reprocessing

The United States hasn’t recycled or reprocessed commercial spent nuclear fuels since the 1970s, and the President’s executive orders seek to change that. To that end, DOE is instructed to find ways to efficiently transfer spent nuclear fuel from commercial light-water reactors to a government-owned, privately operated reprocessing and recycling facility. The Department will also evaluate reprocessing and recycling of spent nuclear fuel from DOE- and DoD-managed reactors and recommend improvements to those processes to make efficient use of the recovered materials. Additionally, the President ordered the creation of a program to dispose of surplus plutonium by processing and making it available for advanced reactor fuel fabrication and identify ways to permanently dispose of the waste products.

6. Amp up Domestic Nuclear Fuel Production

 

HALEU reguli made from EBR-II spent nuclear fuel at Idaho National Laboratory.

Idaho National Laboratory

One of the big takeaways from the executive orders is that President Trump wants to maximize domestic production of nuclear fuel. Building out the U.S. nuclear fuel supply chain will reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign sources of uranium and enable long-term expansion of American nuclear energy. That means a focus on increased mining, enrichment, conversion and deconversion capabilities — and even recycling and reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel — with assistance from DOE-supported nuclear industry consortia. Of note: DOE will release at least 20 metric tons of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) into a fuel bank for private sector projects powering AI infrastructure at DOE sites.

7. Bolster the American Nuclear Workforce

 

Courtesy of Georgia Power

According to the executive orders, 60 percent of the nuclear workforce is between the ages of 30 and 60. In order to generate a pipeline of workers to supply the demand for this crucial industry, new emphasis will be placed on increasing participation in nuclear-related apprenticeships and education programs. Nuclear engineering and nuclear energy-related careers will be considered priority areas for federal investment, and DOE is also directed to increase access to R&D infrastructure, workforce, and expertise at the national laboratories for college and university nuclear engineering students. 

8. Assess Spent Nuclear Fuel Management

Spent nuclear fuel was another key issue highlighted. President Trump tasked the secretaries of energy, defense, and transportation, along with the director of the Office of Management and Budget, to recommend a national policy on spent nuclear fuel management and high-level waste that considers the development and deployment of advanced fuel cycle capabilities to establish a safe, secure, and sustainable long-term fuel cycle. 

9. Expand U.S. Nuclear Energy Exports

 

Secretary Wright stands with other leaders on his April 2025 visit to Poland.

The Trump Administration intends to fully leverage the resources of the federal government to enable the U.S. nuclear industry to compete for commercial civil nuclear projects worldwide. Within 90 days, the State Department and other agencies including DOE are instructed to produce strategies that will increase financing for U.S. nuclear projects and promote nuclear trade, and to make financial and technical support available for foreign adoption of nuclear energy. One key milestone: pursue at least 20 new international Agreements for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation by the close of the 120th Congress to enable the United States nuclear industry to access new markets in partner countries. 

America’s Nuclear Renaissance

With the pressing need for more American energy to meet the challenges of AI and secure our nation’s energy dominance, President Trump’s vision for a revitalized U.S. nuclear energy industry comes at the perfect time. These executive orders will unshackle our civil nuclear potential and usher in an American nuclear energy renaissance, ensuring abundant, reliable, and affordable energy for the United States." https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/9-key-takeaways-president-trumps-executive-orders-nuclear-energy