At first glance, it seems the clean energy front isn’t going as well as we’d like. The Trump administration has used every tool in its power — and then some — to extinguish clean energy innovation and installations. Yet hope springs eternal, to the point that, in March, the US generated more of its electricity from renewable sources such as solar and wind than it did from natural gas (methane). It’s the first time clean energy has surpassed the planet-heating fossil fuel for a full month nationally, according to data from Ember. This important milestone follows a record 2025 for renewable energy. New energy sources this year continue to favor clean energy sources, too, with 93% of all electricity capacity added in 2026 set to come from solar, wind, and batteries — they are simply less expensive and faster to construct than gas and coal plants. What about fossil fuels? They are projected to reach only 7% of the energy portfolio at a time when they are recklessly overheating the Earth. Yes, Trump’s wrath-filled political environment works to fill the courts with stop orders, which halt otherwise speedy completion and increased energy affordability for everyday citizens. So the clean energy front is experiencing some delayed goal achievement. What would global carbon dioxide emissions have been like last year if Trump embraced a vision of clean energy and climate action? We can only guess, but we do know that emissions reached a record high last year, rising 0.4% from 2024 levels. Let’s trace some of the news and determine how much damage Trump has done to a promising, healthy, sustainable energy future for us all. And there is also good news on the clean energy front, which is so important — hope is the greatest resistance of all. Clean Energy is a Must in Global Energy Mix Clean energy must play a central role in the energy mix, and technologies like solar, wind, and batteries are ready. They have evolved tremendously due to “better materials, smarter systems, and safer designs, says Bill Frist writing in Forbes. Today, they deliver more reliable and cost-effective energy than ever before, Frist reminds us. It’s clear: renewable energy brings in far more than it costs. Wind and solar account for less than 5% of the increase in electricity bills over the past decade. They help drive down wholesale energy prices, exerting a moderating effect on long-term costs. The real question is how to electrify our heating, mobility, and industry to move away from fossil fuels. Meaningful clean energy progress has taken place across red, blue and purple states, and often innovations occurred across the political aisle. When cooperation works to scale “what’s already working, innovating where needed, and making sure clean energy solutions are fast, fair and grounded in local priorities,” Frist continues, results multiply and benefit everyday citizens and the companies that initate the projects. This year state lawmakers are working overtime to steer clean energy projects to “places that work best for nature and people—and to keep building an energy future that is reliable, durable, and affordable for all.” Investments in renewables in countries around the world mean much more than boastful policy: clean energy pro-active countries are seeing before them how decarbonization results in energy security and economic stability. But we must be prudent in our enthusiasm. Let us not forget that US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, a former fracking executive, was accused in March of manipulating global markets. The brouhaha occurred after he posted on the social media platform X that the American navy had “successfully escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz to ensure oil remains flowing.” Was it enough that Wright deleted the post minutes later? Not according to the marketplace, as oil prices slid at their steepest pace in years. The Trump administration typically throws its members under the proverbial bus, and Wright’s blunder was no exception. The White House press secretary acknowledged publicly that Wright’s claim was false. The Energy Department backpedaled, too, suggesting an incorrect caption on the post led to misunderstandings. Was it only last October when a French court ruled oil and gas giant TotalEnergies had engaged in “misleading commercial practices” by overstating its climate pledges? Activists noted it was the first such ruling worldwide against a major oil company for climate misinformation. The case set a legal precedent for the kind of environmental claims corporations may now make in their own court cases. Greenwashing be gone! Think about the decision of world leaders in March to release 400 million barrels of oil from their strategic reserves in reaction to the surge in oil prices in response to the war in Iran. The ripple effects of the near total shipping standstill in the Strait of Hormuz had been keenly felt in the region and around the world. Increasing energy, fuel, and fertilizer costs had intensified hunger in and beyond the Middle East. It was the largest coordinated release of stockpiled oil on record by the members of the International Energy Agency. Meanwhile, discontent mounts as fossil fuel prices rise exponentially, and fossil fuel companies are raking in astronomical profits per minute. An analysis by the nonprofit Oxfam International found the six biggest fossil fuel companies—Chevron, Shell, BP, ConocoPhillips, Exxon, and TotalEnergies—are earning nearly $3,000 a second in 2026, around $37 million a day more than their earnings last year. Oxfam projected the six companies’ total profit for the year to be $94 billion. Did the announcement settle the oil market pricing structure? Nope. Attacks on ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz, which in peace times carries as much as one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, continued to roil the energy prediction market. Then again, the 400 million barrels of oil were little more than enough to meet about four days’ worth of global demand. Now the UAE has said it will leave OPEC — the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The Organization’s cartel mission to exert market influence to control oil output and influence prices has left the UAE feeling flat and unempowered. CleanTechnica’s Michael Barnard describes the move as “an early signal of what happens when a producer with low-cost barrels, spare capacity ambitions, and a long view of electrification decides that flexibility may be worth more than cartel discipline.” With the rules-based international order today under threat, distant conflicts now affect local economies and daily life. As the world continues to try to make sense of the energy-related ripple effects of the US/ Israel war against Iran, more experts than ever are proclaiming that now is the time to decarbonize — not only as a way to decentralize energy but also to reduce the number of wars across the world in the future. A confluence of geopolitics, climate policy, and energy security is on the minds of many government leaders, indicating how global conflicts are accelerating the shift toward renewable energy. Resources “Fossil fuel companies projected to earn almost $3,000 a second in 2026 while families struggle to afford energy bills worldwide. Oxfam. April 26, 2026. “French court convicts TotalEnergies in ‘greenwashing’ case over climate claims.” LeMonde. October 23, 2025. “Geopolitics accelerating global shift toward renewable energy, leaders say.” Mir Umar. The Sunday Guardian. March 15, 2026. “Global electricity review 2026.” Ember. April 26, 2026. “World leaders announce huge oil reserves release but prices keep rising.” Rebecca F. Elliott and Emmett Lindner. New York Times. March 11, 2026.
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