Trump administration blocks US wind energy projects in switch to oil and gas

The Trump administration blocked two permitted US wind energy projects from development this week, with an agreement to pay millions of dollars in refunds to the companies behind them if those funds are reinvested in oil and gas. US Department of the Interior officials framed the canceled agreements as a way to “promote US energy security and affordability” by funneling funds “away from intermittent, higher-cost energy sources toward proven conventional solutions”, in an announcement issued on Monday. Donald Trump’s war in Iran has caused a fuel crisis and spiked global prices, while the increasing energy appetite of new AI datacenters has put more pressure on power supplies. As energy costs and consumption continue to rise, wind and other renewable sources have been cited as essential upgrades to secure strained power grids that also help the US secure a more sustainable future. “Unable to defend its offshore wind actions in court, the administration is using taxpayer dollars to buy foreign companies out of legally executed offshore wind leases,” Sam Salustro, a senior vice-president of pro-offshore wind group Oceanic Network, said in a statement. …