US fossil-fuel power plans rise as data-center demand climbs
Original title: The fossil fuel comeback is here
Planned fossil capacity could hit 68 gigawatts by 2030, a 45 percent jump from plans six months earlier.
A report from the Environmental Defense Fund and Atlas Public Policy says the United States is adding more fossil-fuel power infrastructure than in a decade while renewable growth slows. Electricity demand is rising with data centers, factories, and electric vehicles, and the authors say the Trump administration has favored fossil fuels over wind and solar. Fossil projects rose from 5 percent of new capacity plans in 2024 to 30 percent by the second quarter of 2026, and could reach 70 percent of the pipeline by decade’s end if the trend holds. New solar and wind still cost less on average than new combined-cycle gas, the report finds.
Unconfirmed: Authors warn planned gas plants could lock in pollution and higher prices, but say many projects may not be built.
- Fossil fuels still generate 60 percent of US electricity, the report says.
- Wind and solar together outproduced coal for the first time in 2024.
- Renewable projects are being canceled faster than fossil projects, 4.9 percent versus 2.9 percent.
- Many gas plans could still fall through if AI data-center demand forecasts are overblown.
- Organizations
- Environmental Defense FundAtlas Public Policy
- Countries
- United States
From the original article
3 min read at theverge.com
The US is building more fossil fuel infrastructure than it has in a decade while renewable energy growth slows down, a new report shows. Electricity demand is also climbing faster than it has in more than a decade with more data centers, factories, and electric vehicles plugging into the grid.
By Justine Calma · theverge.com
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