What does the NRDC say Donald Trump’s energy policies will do to U.S. clean energy investment and emissions by 2035?

The NRDC says Trump’s fossil fuel agenda will lead to $700 billion in lost clean energy investment and make power sector emissions about twice as high by 2035. The report ties that outcome to policies such as tax credit cuts, tariff effects, and delays to wind permitting.

Which Trump-era policies did the NRDC analysis blame for rising electricity costs and weaker clean energy growth?

The report points to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the global tariff war, planned repeal of power plant emission standards, the end of wind and solar tax credits, and permitting delays and cancellations. It also says utilities were pushed to keep old fossil fuel plants running and to restart or build new coal plants.

How much could U.S. power sector emissions, electricity bills, and health impacts change under the NRDC forecast?

The report says emissions could rise to more than 1 billion metric tons by 2035, while some household bills could climb by up to 25 percent and total consumer electricity spending could increase by up to $30 billion a year. It also projects 69,000 additional early deaths and 85,000 extra emergency room visits and hospital admissions over the next decade.

Trump policies to double power sector carbon emissions by 2035: analysis

Listen

Summary

An NRDC analysis says Donald Trump’s fossil fuel policies will cut $700 billion in clean energy investment and double the U.S. power sector’s climate footprint by 2035. The report links the outcome to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, tariffs, permit delays for wind, and support for coal and gas plants. It also says electricity bills could rise by up to 25 percent in some areas, while pollution-related health harms would increase.

Key Facts

The report estimates $700 billion in lost clean energy investment between now and 2035.
It says between 390 and 540 gigawatts of new wind, solar and energy storage could be lost.
The analysis finds power sector carbon dioxide emissions could exceed 1 billion metric tons by 2035, compared with just over 500 million metric tons in the counterfactual scenario.
The report says U.S. consumers could spend up to $30 billion more a year on electricity by 2035, and household bills could rise by up to 25 percent in some parts of the country.
It projects up to 69,000 additional early deaths and 85,000 extra emergency room visits and hospital admissions over the next decade from higher air pollution.

By AFP

Published Aug 25, 2026 9:49 pm KST
Updated Aug 25, 2026 10:06 pm KST

U.S. President Donald Trump's fossil fuel agenda will result in the loss of $700 billion in clean energy investments over the next decade while doubling the power sector's climate footprint, according to analysis published Tuesday.

The report by the nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council examined the cumulative impact of policies passed by Trump — who campaigned on cutting utility bills in half within 18 months in office, though in reality they rose 16 percent as of May 2026, according to Energy Information Administration data.

These actions include the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July 2025, which gutted tax credits on clean energy, and the global tariff war that has strained supply chains and raised the cost of electricity generation technologies as a whole.

Trump's policies have also focused on propping up the fossil fuel industry — including forcing utilities to keep old, expensive fossil fuel plants beyond their planned retirement, and restarting or building new coal plants, while stalling federal permits for wind development.

In all, Trump's agenda will result in $700 billion in lost investment between now and 2035, and the loss of between 390 to 540 gigawatts of new wind, solar and energy storage, the report found. By comparison, India's total installed capacity is currently around 520 gigawatts.

By 2035, U.S. consumers will spend up to $30 billion a year more on electricity, with household bills increasing by up to 25 percent in some parts of the country.

"From day one of this term, the Trump administration has waged war on clean energy, destroying new investments, while owners of old, polluting coal plants get handouts and free passes to pollute," said Amanda Levin, director of policy analysis at NRDC.

"As a result, utility bills are on the rise, projects are canceled, jobs are lost and more pollution is endangering the health of our families and the climate."

Titled "An Affordability Crisis of Trump's Making," the report used an energy model to compare the impact on the electricity sector of Trump's policies to those before he took office.

These included the planned repeal of power plant emission standards, tariffs, the end of tax credits for wind and solar, and permitting delays and cancellations.

Both scenarios included the rapid growth in demand for electricity driven by data centers.

The report found that power sector carbon dioxide emissions could be twice as high by 2035, up to more than 1 billion metric tons compared to just over 500 million metric tons in the counterfactual scenario.

More air pollution from older coal and gas plants running more will result in up to 69,000 additional early deaths and 85,000 extra emergency room visits and hospital admissions over the next decade, it found.

Explore More