President Donald Trump on Wednesday said his administration will not approve solar or wind power projects, even as electricity demand is outpacing the supply in some parts of the U.S.
“We will not approve wind or farmer destroying Solar,” Trump, who has complained in the past that solar takes up too much land, posted on Truth Social. “The days of stupidity are over in the USA!!!”
The president’s comment comes after the administration tightened federal permitting for renewables last month. The permitting process is now centralized in Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s office.
Renewable companies fear that projects will no longer receive permits that were once normal course of business. The president’s comments Wednesday will likely heighten those concerns.
Trump blamed renewables for rising electricity prices in the U.S. Prices have risen on the nation’s largest grid, PJM Interconnection, as rapidly growing demand from data centers and other industries faces a tight power supply as resources such as coal plants are retired.
PJM Interconnection saw prices for new power capacity rise 22% compared to last year in an auction held last month. PJM covers 13 states across the Mid-Atlantic and parts of the Midwest and South.
Instead of ruining more farmland solar companies should build their structures on existing paved parking lots like at Salisbury University or Wor-Wic Community College.