{"id":423974,"date":"2026-01-30T21:08:29","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T20:08:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=423974"},"modified":"2026-01-30T21:08:32","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T20:08:32","slug":"americas-energy-future-a-conflict-of-visions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=423974","title":{"rendered":"America\u2019s energy future: A conflict of visions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"410\" data-attachment-id=\"423979\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=423979\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQNpj2hKQVu5-pYzMmCXw63936xuP9fFP4GGgyIUgvyVYeWK4e2wePjvaBLZZO57YLnJacxs1qTSuUk9TaG37BC0jsKQCas2bZk1hHZyo3nEoNRrE_Q-2aQFHZ8Qpg-j.jpeg?fit=1627%2C922&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1627,922\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"AQNpj2hKQVu5-pYzMmCXw63936xuP9fFP4GGgyIUgvyVYeWK4e2wePjvaBLZZO57YLnJacxs1qTSuUk9TaG37BC0jsKQCas2bZk1hHZyo3nEoNRrE_Q-2aQFHZ8Qpg-j\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQNpj2hKQVu5-pYzMmCXw63936xuP9fFP4GGgyIUgvyVYeWK4e2wePjvaBLZZO57YLnJacxs1qTSuUk9TaG37BC0jsKQCas2bZk1hHZyo3nEoNRrE_Q-2aQFHZ8Qpg-j.jpeg?fit=723%2C410&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQNpj2hKQVu5-pYzMmCXw63936xuP9fFP4GGgyIUgvyVYeWK4e2wePjvaBLZZO57YLnJacxs1qTSuUk9TaG37BC0jsKQCas2bZk1hHZyo3nEoNRrE_Q-2aQFHZ8Qpg-j.jpeg?resize=723%2C410&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A futuristic scene featuring a humanoid robot beside a high-tech energy control station, set against a backdrop of nuclear power plants and high-voltage transmission lines, with a glowing globe in the sky.\" class=\"wp-image-423979\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQNpj2hKQVu5-pYzMmCXw63936xuP9fFP4GGgyIUgvyVYeWK4e2wePjvaBLZZO57YLnJacxs1qTSuUk9TaG37BC0jsKQCas2bZk1hHZyo3nEoNRrE_Q-2aQFHZ8Qpg-j.jpeg?resize=1024%2C580&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQNpj2hKQVu5-pYzMmCXw63936xuP9fFP4GGgyIUgvyVYeWK4e2wePjvaBLZZO57YLnJacxs1qTSuUk9TaG37BC0jsKQCas2bZk1hHZyo3nEoNRrE_Q-2aQFHZ8Qpg-j.jpeg?resize=300%2C170&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQNpj2hKQVu5-pYzMmCXw63936xuP9fFP4GGgyIUgvyVYeWK4e2wePjvaBLZZO57YLnJacxs1qTSuUk9TaG37BC0jsKQCas2bZk1hHZyo3nEoNRrE_Q-2aQFHZ8Qpg-j.jpeg?resize=768%2C435&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQNpj2hKQVu5-pYzMmCXw63936xuP9fFP4GGgyIUgvyVYeWK4e2wePjvaBLZZO57YLnJacxs1qTSuUk9TaG37BC0jsKQCas2bZk1hHZyo3nEoNRrE_Q-2aQFHZ8Qpg-j.jpeg?resize=1536%2C870&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQNpj2hKQVu5-pYzMmCXw63936xuP9fFP4GGgyIUgvyVYeWK4e2wePjvaBLZZO57YLnJacxs1qTSuUk9TaG37BC0jsKQCas2bZk1hHZyo3nEoNRrE_Q-2aQFHZ8Qpg-j.jpeg?resize=640%2C363&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQNpj2hKQVu5-pYzMmCXw63936xuP9fFP4GGgyIUgvyVYeWK4e2wePjvaBLZZO57YLnJacxs1qTSuUk9TaG37BC0jsKQCas2bZk1hHZyo3nEoNRrE_Q-2aQFHZ8Qpg-j.jpeg?resize=1200%2C680&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQNpj2hKQVu5-pYzMmCXw63936xuP9fFP4GGgyIUgvyVYeWK4e2wePjvaBLZZO57YLnJacxs1qTSuUk9TaG37BC0jsKQCas2bZk1hHZyo3nEoNRrE_Q-2aQFHZ8Qpg-j.jpeg?w=1627&amp;ssl=1 1627w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQNpj2hKQVu5-pYzMmCXw63936xuP9fFP4GGgyIUgvyVYeWK4e2wePjvaBLZZO57YLnJacxs1qTSuUk9TaG37BC0jsKQCas2bZk1hHZyo3nEoNRrE_Q-2aQFHZ8Qpg-j.jpeg?w=1446&amp;ssl=1 1446w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">From <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cfact.org\/2026\/01\/30\/americas-energy-future-a-conflict-of-visions\/#\">CFACT<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cfact.org\/author\/duggan\/\">Duggan Flanakin<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"723\" data-attachment-id=\"423978\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=423978\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-573.png?fit=2048%2C2048&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2048,2048\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-573.png?fit=723%2C723&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-573.png?resize=723%2C723&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Futuristic cityscape with glowing circuits and an atom symbol in the foreground, featuring industrial buildings and smokestacks against a backdrop of digital data streams and a sunset.\" class=\"wp-image-423978\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-573.png?resize=1024%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-573.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-573.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-573.png?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-573.png?resize=1536%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-573.png?resize=640%2C640&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-573.png?resize=1200%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-573.png?resize=800%2C800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-573.png?resize=600%2C600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-573.png?resize=400%2C400&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-573.png?resize=200%2C200&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-573.png?resize=450%2C450&amp;ssl=1 450w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-573.png?resize=60%2C60&amp;ssl=1 60w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-573.png?resize=550%2C550&amp;ssl=1 550w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-573.png?w=2048&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-573.png?w=1446&amp;ssl=1 1446w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">When President Trump last May signed an&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.utilitydive.com\/news\/trump-aims-for-400-gw-of-nuclear-by-2050-10-large-reactors-under-construct\/749107\/\">executive order<\/a>&nbsp;calling for deployment of 300 gigawatts (GW) of net new nuclear capacity by 2050, it had to come as a shock to those who just a few years earlier were plotting a very different energy future \u2013 one built on wind turbines and solar arrays, the abolition of coal and natural gas, and maybe a wink and a nod toward what was perceived to be unaffordable nuclear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Back in 2011, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/energy.mit.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/MITEI-The-Future-of-the-Electric-Grid.pdf\">report<\/a>&nbsp;on the future of the electric grid stated that \u201cOne of the most important emerging challenges facing the grid is the need to incorporate more renewable generation in response to policy initiatives at both state and federal levels.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Signaling their own skepticism at this strategy, the authors added that \u201cMuch of this capacity will rely on either solar or wind power and will accordingly produce output that is variable over time and imperfectly predictable, making it harder for system operators to match generation and load at every instant.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Nevertheless,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/183447\/us-energy-generation-from-solar-sources-from-2000\/\">solar energy<\/a>&nbsp;has grown from 891 gigawatt-hours in 2009 to 218,538 GWh by 2024, while&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/189412\/us-electricity-generation-from-wind-energy-since-2005\/\">wind energy<\/a>&nbsp;rose from 73,890 GWh in 2009 to 453,450 GWh in 2024. Combined, these two sources in 2024 generated less than the 782,000 to 816,000 GWh from the nation\u2019s 94 nuclear power plants, which unlike wind and solar, operate round the clock at consistent outputs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The push toward intermittent wind and solar has continued during the first year of President Trump\u2019s second term. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/cms.ferc.gov\/media\/energy-infrastructure-update-may-2025\">reported<\/a>&nbsp;that of the 15+ GW of new electricity generation resources added in the first five months of 2025, 11.5 GW was solar, 2.3 GW was wind, and 1.3 GW was natural gas \u2013 with no new nuclear at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">That trend has continued despite Trump Administration efforts against offshore wind and ongoing opposition to new wind and solar farms. FERC listed 136 GW of \u201chigh probability additions\u201d through August 2028, with solar and wind accounting for nearly 84% of that projected new capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">While battery storage has been hailed as the \u201csolution\u201d to the intermittent nature of wind and solar energy generation, Francis Menton reported in 2024 that battery storage facilities might not be a safe bet \u2013 or safe at all. They are subject to large and dangerous fires on a regular basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Menton recently atated that, in January 2025, the 300 MW facility at Moss Landing south of San Francisco, which held about 100,000 lithium-ion batteries, saw about 55% of those batteries damaged by a fire \u2013 the third at the facility in a 4-year period. He also said there were at least three major battery storage facility fires in New York State in 2023, followed by a major fire in Warwick, New York, last December.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Imagine the damage, he said, from a fire at the planned 315 MW battery storage facility in Queens, just across the East River from the Upper East Side and adjacent to the nation\u2019s largest public housing project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Despite the popularity of wind and solar with power companies today (as evidenced by their orders), large data processing centers, healthcare facilities, high-tech artificial intelligence, and national security operations cannot rely on intermittent power. The Trump White House, taking note of the concerns of those entities, prefers to invest in nuclear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Trump\u2019s goal of quadrupling U.S. electricity generation parallels the vision of economist Timothy Taylor, who in a September 2023 article stated that, to supply the massive increase in planned electricity generation \u201cthere will also need to be a dramatic expansion (maybe a tripling or quadrupling) in electricity lines to distribute the electricity where needed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">But, he added, that is the rub.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">While ratepayers crave cheaper electric bills, noted Taylor, \u201cShareholders are not likely to want the company to make major increases in the electric grid.\u201d Many registered utility companies are owned by shareholders, and taking on new debt does not improve shareholder returns, largely because of government regulation of their pricing and investment plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">On January 15, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas [ERCOT], which operates the Texas power grid, announced a new process for evaluating multiple large-load interconnection requests simultaneously. Texas is not generating enough electricity to supply every desired project immediately. Built for a large-load queue of 40 to 50 projects, the state\u2019s queue is being overwhelmed by the 225 new interconnection&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ercot.com\/files\/docs\/2025\/12\/02\/16.2-System-Planning-and-Weatherization-Update_Revised.pdf\">requests submitted<\/a>&nbsp;to ERCOT in 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">But who\u2019s kidding whom? There has to be another solution to the problem of more demand than supply for grid electricity. Corporate giants like Google, Meta, CenterPoint, Amazon, and OpenAI cannot wait forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">As the growing power crunch threatens President Trump\u2019s (and private industry\u2019s) plans for rapid growth of the U.S. economy, neither the Texas nor the national grid is ready for the explosive growth of power-hungry artificial intelligence and other high-volume users. The solution, said Jacob DeWitte, CEO of nuclear startup OKLO, is for large energy users to add grid power through private investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">To that end, OKLO and Meta entered into a new partnership in which OKLO will build small modular reactors to power Meta facilities and sell any excess electricity to the grid. Energy Secretary Chris Wright is recommending such partnership for power, in line with President\u2019 Trump\u2019s December 2025&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/trump-says-every-ai-plant-being-built-us-self-sustaining-own-electricity\">statement<\/a>&nbsp;that every AI plant built in the U.S. must be self-sustaining with its own electricity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">On January 15, President Trump&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.zerohedge.com\/markets\/emergency-intervention-trump-cap-residential-electric-bills-forcing-tech-giants-pay-soaring?utm_source=daily_newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=6935\">announced<\/a>&nbsp;that the National Energy Dominance Council and the governors of several northeastern states served by the PJM Interconnection had agreed to push for an emergency wholesale electricity auction that will compel technology companies to effectively fund new power plants. That action was aimed at capping residential electricity rates that have been soaring as demand from hyperscalers and data centers has soared past supply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The goal is&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/articles\/fact-sheet-trump-administration-outlines-plan-build-big-power-plants-again\">to urge<\/a>&nbsp;PJM to build more than $15 billion of reliable baseload power generation and to accelerate development by providing a 15-year revenue certainty for new power plants. The plan requires data centers to pay for any new generation built on their behalf and protect ratepayers by limiting the amount existing power plants can be paid in the PJM capacity market. It also opens the door for large users to build dedicated facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Today, PJM is one of the eight (out of 13 total) regional power markets already below critical spare capacity levels. Peak demand across its system is expected to increase by another 17% by 2030. Without active intervention, brownouts could become a frequent irritation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Based on his own statements, Trump hopes that much of this new electric generation capacity will come from new nuclear power plants (of all sizes). The OKLO-Meta deal is but one of many in some stages of negotiation. And the PJM challenge is likely to spread nationwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">While growing user demand and competing potential sources of supply are tempered by trepidations about the ability of intermittent electric generation sources to satisfy these high-end users, Trump knows that the cost of nuclear energy (hence the cost of building new nuclear capacity) must come down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">That said, his bottom line is simple: \u201cI never want Americans to pay higher electricity bills because of data centers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><em>This article originally appeared at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearenergy.org\/articles\/2026\/01\/29\/americas_energy_future_a_conflict_of_visions_1161485.html\">Real Clear Energy<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When President Trump last May signed an\u00a0executive order\u00a0calling for deployment of 300 gigawatts (GW) of net new nuclear capacity by 2050, it had to come as a shock to those who just a few years earlier were plotting a very different energy future \u2013 one built on wind turbines and solar arrays, the abolition of coal and natural gas, and maybe a wink and a nod toward what was perceived to be unaffordable nuclear.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":423979,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"Explore America's energy future as President Trump pushes for nuclear power against the backdrop of solar and wind energy debates.","jetpack_seo_html_title":"Navigating America's Energy Future: Nuclear vs. Renewables","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":true,"token":"eyJpbWciOiJodHRwczpcL1wvY2xpbWF0ZS1zY2llbmNlLnByZXNzXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wMVwvQVFOcGoyaEtRVnU1LXBZek1tQ1h3NjM5MzZ4dVA5ZkZQNEdHZ3lJVWd2eVZZZVdLNGUyd2VQanZhQkxaWk81N1lMbkphY3hzMXFUU3VVazlUYUczN0JDMGpzS1FDYXMyYlprMWhIWnlvM25Fb05SckVfUS0yYVFGSFo4UXBnLWotMTAyNHg1ODAuanBlZyIsInR4dCI6IkFtZXJpY2FcdTIwMTlzIGVuZXJneSBmdXR1cmU6IEEgY29uZmxpY3Qgb2YgdmlzaW9ucyIsInRlbXBsYXRlIjoiaGlnaHdheSIsImZvbnQiOiIiLCJibG9nX2lkIjoxNTU4MTI0NDl9.cNHFc3mXOf0n8u1mjurwEYUbbJ1hqcGvfH5bK4IkLQYMQ"},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691819240,691841089,691833361,691834567,691833487,691819121],"class_list":["post-423974","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-electric-grid","tag-electric-reliability-council-of-texas-ercot-3","tag-executive-order","tag-massachusetts-institute-of-technology-mit","tag-us-president-donald-j-trump","tag-wind-and-solar-power","fallback-thumbnail"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQNpj2hKQVu5-pYzMmCXw63936xuP9fFP4GGgyIUgvyVYeWK4e2wePjvaBLZZO57YLnJacxs1qTSuUk9TaG37BC0jsKQCas2bZk1hHZyo3nEoNRrE_Q-2aQFHZ8Qpg-j.jpeg?fit=1627%2C922&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1Mii","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":421885,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=421885","url_meta":{"origin":423974,"position":0},"title":"How to add 300 gigawatts of nuclear energy by 2050","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"01\/18\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"On May 23, President Donald Trump laid out a four-point plan (via four executive orders) to spark a nuclear energy renaissance in the United States based on his belief that nuclear energy is a superior carbon-free choice to wind and solar.","rel":"","context":"In \"CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium)\"","block_context":{"text":"CANDU (Canada Deuterium Uranium)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=candu-canada-deuterium-uranium"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQMel9d7OE0Bo7XVbUuNIbGihPE0fNDHEyMosbbGCeV1JbptgCNoHXNFKWN-aoKEEuCaAETmVGkfvosRmoySCKMxsi0F6F7U0y4ViqphSD528TQR9kniRHHzef1mWw-2.jpeg?fit=1200%2C673&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQMel9d7OE0Bo7XVbUuNIbGihPE0fNDHEyMosbbGCeV1JbptgCNoHXNFKWN-aoKEEuCaAETmVGkfvosRmoySCKMxsi0F6F7U0y4ViqphSD528TQR9kniRHHzef1mWw-2.jpeg?fit=1200%2C673&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQMel9d7OE0Bo7XVbUuNIbGihPE0fNDHEyMosbbGCeV1JbptgCNoHXNFKWN-aoKEEuCaAETmVGkfvosRmoySCKMxsi0F6F7U0y4ViqphSD528TQR9kniRHHzef1mWw-2.jpeg?fit=1200%2C673&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQMel9d7OE0Bo7XVbUuNIbGihPE0fNDHEyMosbbGCeV1JbptgCNoHXNFKWN-aoKEEuCaAETmVGkfvosRmoySCKMxsi0F6F7U0y4ViqphSD528TQR9kniRHHzef1mWw-2.jpeg?fit=1200%2C673&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQMel9d7OE0Bo7XVbUuNIbGihPE0fNDHEyMosbbGCeV1JbptgCNoHXNFKWN-aoKEEuCaAETmVGkfvosRmoySCKMxsi0F6F7U0y4ViqphSD528TQR9kniRHHzef1mWw-2.jpeg?fit=1200%2C673&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":421436,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=421436","url_meta":{"origin":423974,"position":1},"title":"WaPo is Right, Trump\u2019s Nuclear Power Push Is Great, But Not for Climate Reasons","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"01\/15\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A recent, surprising article in the usually climate-alarmist Washington Post (WaPo) describes how President Trump\u2019s recent efforts to streamline and promote the development and expansion of nuclear power plants is great for the climate, will reduce U.S. dependence on fossil fuels, and help meet growing energy demand.","rel":"","context":"In \"carbon dioxide (CO\u2082)\"","block_context":{"text":"carbon dioxide (CO\u2082)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=carbon-dioxide-co%e2%82%82"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQMel9d7OE0Bo7XVbUuNIbGihPE0fNDHEyMosbbGCeV1JbptgCNoHXNFKWN-aoKEEuCaAETmVGkfvosRmoySCKMxsi0F6F7U0y4ViqphSD528TQR9kniRHHzef1mWw-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C673&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQMel9d7OE0Bo7XVbUuNIbGihPE0fNDHEyMosbbGCeV1JbptgCNoHXNFKWN-aoKEEuCaAETmVGkfvosRmoySCKMxsi0F6F7U0y4ViqphSD528TQR9kniRHHzef1mWw-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C673&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQMel9d7OE0Bo7XVbUuNIbGihPE0fNDHEyMosbbGCeV1JbptgCNoHXNFKWN-aoKEEuCaAETmVGkfvosRmoySCKMxsi0F6F7U0y4ViqphSD528TQR9kniRHHzef1mWw-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C673&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQMel9d7OE0Bo7XVbUuNIbGihPE0fNDHEyMosbbGCeV1JbptgCNoHXNFKWN-aoKEEuCaAETmVGkfvosRmoySCKMxsi0F6F7U0y4ViqphSD528TQR9kniRHHzef1mWw-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C673&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQMel9d7OE0Bo7XVbUuNIbGihPE0fNDHEyMosbbGCeV1JbptgCNoHXNFKWN-aoKEEuCaAETmVGkfvosRmoySCKMxsi0F6F7U0y4ViqphSD528TQR9kniRHHzef1mWw-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C673&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":425242,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=425242","url_meta":{"origin":423974,"position":2},"title":"Meta\u2019s Nuclear Bet Is an Endorsement of Trump\u2019s Energy Vision","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"02\/08\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Donald Trump\u2019s call for \u201cAmerican energy dominance\u201d once drew eyerolling from Silicon Valley. Now, in a twist no one saw coming, Meta and other big-tech AI giants are beginning to embrace Trump\u2019s energy vision.","rel":"","context":"In \"AI (artificial intelligence)\"","block_context":{"text":"AI (artificial intelligence)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=ai-artificial-intelligence-2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AQNxNZDkcO2VSJsaXxLvM2mni3ATqcSezuo4T1AS9W2BAhWB29wemhiQJcSF74Q_Srnz0hMh8OFV__tuCZq4yPWe6eJGn3BAMI7RKM4XqKgYmHtVGwCDwpCzgFmC5Vc.jpeg?fit=1200%2C670&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AQNxNZDkcO2VSJsaXxLvM2mni3ATqcSezuo4T1AS9W2BAhWB29wemhiQJcSF74Q_Srnz0hMh8OFV__tuCZq4yPWe6eJGn3BAMI7RKM4XqKgYmHtVGwCDwpCzgFmC5Vc.jpeg?fit=1200%2C670&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AQNxNZDkcO2VSJsaXxLvM2mni3ATqcSezuo4T1AS9W2BAhWB29wemhiQJcSF74Q_Srnz0hMh8OFV__tuCZq4yPWe6eJGn3BAMI7RKM4XqKgYmHtVGwCDwpCzgFmC5Vc.jpeg?fit=1200%2C670&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AQNxNZDkcO2VSJsaXxLvM2mni3ATqcSezuo4T1AS9W2BAhWB29wemhiQJcSF74Q_Srnz0hMh8OFV__tuCZq4yPWe6eJGn3BAMI7RKM4XqKgYmHtVGwCDwpCzgFmC5Vc.jpeg?fit=1200%2C670&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AQNxNZDkcO2VSJsaXxLvM2mni3ATqcSezuo4T1AS9W2BAhWB29wemhiQJcSF74Q_Srnz0hMh8OFV__tuCZq4yPWe6eJGn3BAMI7RKM4XqKgYmHtVGwCDwpCzgFmC5Vc.jpeg?fit=1200%2C670&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":442611,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=442611","url_meta":{"origin":423974,"position":3},"title":"\u2018Republican\u2019 Green energy fantasies and casualties","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"05\/04\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"President Trump has it dead right. Recently, he signed five executive orders using the Defense Production Act to accelerate domestic fossil fuel development and electrical grid infrastructure. America needs no-holds-barred development of oil, natural gas, coal, critical minerals, metals, a nuclear renaissance, and manufacturing of the technologies that keep our\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"affordable energy\"","block_context":{"text":"affordable energy","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=affordable-energy"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AQMNfEscO9EicbgcpTePoRWLJhRpX711TsYUZe0Ahza7PCflCwpcF0dt_B_Uj9Nl1XY38DeYq_jH2xk29cKzfEvcbeinM1w7Rp0YZfZTm7OG3K_E6a2zqAgvP-oiNemFGYJ81hKeeeAjJuRZYKrcdVOzLOlasg.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AQMNfEscO9EicbgcpTePoRWLJhRpX711TsYUZe0Ahza7PCflCwpcF0dt_B_Uj9Nl1XY38DeYq_jH2xk29cKzfEvcbeinM1w7Rp0YZfZTm7OG3K_E6a2zqAgvP-oiNemFGYJ81hKeeeAjJuRZYKrcdVOzLOlasg.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AQMNfEscO9EicbgcpTePoRWLJhRpX711TsYUZe0Ahza7PCflCwpcF0dt_B_Uj9Nl1XY38DeYq_jH2xk29cKzfEvcbeinM1w7Rp0YZfZTm7OG3K_E6a2zqAgvP-oiNemFGYJ81hKeeeAjJuRZYKrcdVOzLOlasg.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AQMNfEscO9EicbgcpTePoRWLJhRpX711TsYUZe0Ahza7PCflCwpcF0dt_B_Uj9Nl1XY38DeYq_jH2xk29cKzfEvcbeinM1w7Rp0YZfZTm7OG3K_E6a2zqAgvP-oiNemFGYJ81hKeeeAjJuRZYKrcdVOzLOlasg.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AQMNfEscO9EicbgcpTePoRWLJhRpX711TsYUZe0Ahza7PCflCwpcF0dt_B_Uj9Nl1XY38DeYq_jH2xk29cKzfEvcbeinM1w7Rp0YZfZTm7OG3K_E6a2zqAgvP-oiNemFGYJ81hKeeeAjJuRZYKrcdVOzLOlasg.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":418101,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=418101","url_meta":{"origin":423974,"position":4},"title":"Trump Admin Looking to Restore Coal Plants as America\u2019s Grid Buckles","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"12\/21\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking to restore coal plants across America \u201cfor up to $100 million in federal funding.\u201d","rel":"","context":"In \"Biden and Obama administrations\"","block_context":{"text":"Biden and Obama administrations","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=biden-and-obama-administrations"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OIG-2023-08-16T125047.484.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OIG-2023-08-16T125047.484.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OIG-2023-08-16T125047.484.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/OIG-2023-08-16T125047.484.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":415136,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=415136","url_meta":{"origin":423974,"position":5},"title":"Rising Electricity Prices? Blame Green Energy Policies, Not President Trump","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"11\/28\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Electricity prices are rising, and Democrats blame President Trump. For years, articles in the media have said that renewables provide the lowest-cost electricity, claiming that wind and solar generators were cheaper than coal, natural gas, and nuclear. But prices are soaring in green energy states that install wind and solar\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Climate Policies\"","block_context":{"text":"Climate Policies","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-policies"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQMM711WT9l_oEGlescA5GnHmBcW2BdNchjKbEjzYn3qcdVBksOHsLtj8R1_kei7En5Gfnq2ac_XXbdBLU0_QHdNNOOO4a7OVctJrX68GhbwAqmzWxjFH7KeIU802hI-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQMM711WT9l_oEGlescA5GnHmBcW2BdNchjKbEjzYn3qcdVBksOHsLtj8R1_kei7En5Gfnq2ac_XXbdBLU0_QHdNNOOO4a7OVctJrX68GhbwAqmzWxjFH7KeIU802hI-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQMM711WT9l_oEGlescA5GnHmBcW2BdNchjKbEjzYn3qcdVBksOHsLtj8R1_kei7En5Gfnq2ac_XXbdBLU0_QHdNNOOO4a7OVctJrX68GhbwAqmzWxjFH7KeIU802hI-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQMM711WT9l_oEGlescA5GnHmBcW2BdNchjKbEjzYn3qcdVBksOHsLtj8R1_kei7En5Gfnq2ac_XXbdBLU0_QHdNNOOO4a7OVctJrX68GhbwAqmzWxjFH7KeIU802hI-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0AQMM711WT9l_oEGlescA5GnHmBcW2BdNchjKbEjzYn3qcdVBksOHsLtj8R1_kei7En5Gfnq2ac_XXbdBLU0_QHdNNOOO4a7OVctJrX68GhbwAqmzWxjFH7KeIU802hI-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/423974","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=423974"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/423974\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":423981,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/423974\/revisions\/423981"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/423979"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=423974"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=423974"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=423974"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}