New US wind power hits decade low as Trump turns fire on industry

The US installed a record 48.7GW of grid-scale clean power in 2024, up 33% from the previous year, despite onshore wind additions at their lowest level in more than a decade, according to latest numbers from American Clean Power Association (ACP).

“The only way to meet skyrocketing energy demand is to embrace all American energy resources,” said CEO Jason Grumet, calling the sector’s performance “dominant.”

He said its 2024 result “demonstrates the unique role clean power is playing in bringing electricity online now to support increased manufacturing and data centres. Reliable energy depends on reliable policy.”

Battery storage and solar set calendar year records with 11.3GW and 33.3GW, respectively, as did the fledgling US offshore wind sector with 132MW.

Onshore wind additions totaled 3.9GW, the least since 1.1GW in 2013, which ACP blamed on long interconnection queue wait times and delayed guidance on federal tax credit rules under the previous administration.

At the end of 2024, the US had 154.6GW of onshore wind capacity in operation, 129.7GW of grid-scale solar, 28.9GW of battery storage, and 174MW of offshore wind.

In fourth quarter, the US connected 18.8GW of clean energy capacity, the second best quarter on record, led by solar and battery storage.

Looking ahead, the US clean power industry has a robust pipeline of new projects in advanced development or under construction that totaled 175.2GW at the end of last year.

Despite a weak 2024 performance, the onshore wind pipeline is at its highest point in years with 15.9GW under development and 9.3GW under construction.

Battery storage pipeline also rose 49% to 45.1GW of capacity, while solar declined 5% to 89.4GW and offshore wind fell 4% to 15.5GW, according to the report.

How many of the 1,339 pipeline projects will be built is an open question given President Donald Trump’s hostility toward offshore wind in US coastal waters where development takes place, and to clean energy investment of any kind on federal lands.

'Momentum stalled'

Wind is particularly vulnerable. The report notes “momentum from 2024 has stalled due to uncertainty introduced by Trump’s executive order regarding wind.”

That order stopped offshore leasing and project permitting, while requiring even awarded leases and approved offshore and onshore wind projects to undergo “review” with the aim of “terminating or amending” them.

Federal onshore wind leasing and permitting was also frozen for 90 days pending an immediate, comprehensive assessment and review.

Four arrays in Idaho and Wyoming totaling about 3GW are awaiting environmental reviews. The administration could also modify or rescind the permit for a 1GW project in Idaho that was approved shortly before Trump took office in January.

Solar would appear more vulnerable given much more of it has been proposed for siting on federal lands – 44 projects totaling 25GW nameplate capacity.