U.S. Wind Power Faces Crisis as Trump Tightens Development Rules

By Felicity Bradstock - Aug 16, 2025

• Ørsted’s market value fell by nearly a third as Trump’s policies undermined U.S. wind project viability and financing.
• 
  
• Trump’s administration has rolled back Biden-era renewable incentives, tightened permitting, halted projects, and withdrawn federal waters from leasing.
• 
  
• Major wind companies, including Ørsted and Equinor, are reassessing U.S. investments amid heightened political and financial uncertainty.

The Danish wind energy producer Ørsted has blamed United States President Donald Trump for its plummeting shares following Trump’s months of attack on wind energy, and it is not the only wind energy producer suffering from the new U.S. policies that make it more difficult to develop wind farms.

For months, President Trump has threatened those in the wind and solar energy industries, as he stated plans to restrict new development. In July, Trump announced plans to tighten federal permitting to restrict solar and wind energy development, following the passing of his One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which, instead, focuses on the expansion of fossil fuel and nuclear power projects. His recent policy moves have led several wind energy companies to rethink investments in the U.S. and halt developments due to financial and political uncertainty.

In August, Europe’s largest wind power company, Ørsted, blamed President Trump for derailing its business model after its market value dropped by nearly a third. Ørsted told shareholders that it would need to raise funds to cover the cost of its plans due to the “extraordinary situation” the company was facing in the U.S. Ørsted said that the “recent material developments in the U.S.” had made it impossible to raise the money needed by selling a stake in its new the eastern seaboard project off as previously planned. 

Typically, Ørsted covers the cost of its new developments by selling a stake in each project once it is under development. However, following Trump’s attack on U.S. wind energy, the value of domestic wind projects has dropped significantly. 

Trump’s approach to wind and solar power marks a U-turn on the Biden-era stance on renewables. The Biden administration introduced a wide range of policies and orders to promote the expansion of the U.S. renewable energy industry, supported by financial incentives, such as tax breaks. This was aimed at supporting a green transition away from fossil fuels. Now, Trump is attempting to undo much of the groundwork laid by Biden, to stall green energy progress and push fossil fuel production even higher.

In January, Trump ordered a review of offshore wind permitting and leasing. The review hit the industry hard at a time when it was only just recovering from supply chain disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and higher material costs, which have driven up project costs. Trump has since issued a stop-work order on a project being developed by the Norwegian energy company Equinor, which has made those in the industry wary of investing in new developments. 

Nevertheless, Ørsted plans to complete its Sunrise Wind project off the coast of New York and the Revolution Wind project off Rhode Island, so long as it can raise the $9 billion needed to achieve this. The firm’s CEO, Rasmus Errboe, said, “Ørsted and our industry are in an extraordinary situation with the adverse market development in the U.S. on top of the past years’ macroeconomic and supply chain challenges.”

In August, the Interior Department said that approving new solar and solar projects would require additional new layers of political review by the Interior Secretary’s office, which is leading to permitting delays. The agency is also investigating the prevalence of bird deaths related to wind farms and withdrawing millions of acres of federal waters that were previously available for leasing for offshore wind. 

It is also expected to begin reviewing wind projects that have already been granted approval but are being sued by opponents, and may rescind their permits, even if they are already under construction. In August, the agency said it was reversing the Biden-era approval of the Lava Ridge Wind Project in southern Idaho as, among other issues, lawmakers said it was visible from a World War II internment camp for Japanese Americans, known as the Minidoka National Historic Site.

While the political moves to restrict wind energy development are new, Trump’s disdain for the energy source is not. The U.S. president first publicly voiced his opposition to wind energy 14 years ago when he fought against the development of 11 wind turbines that were visible from his Aberdeenshire golf course in Scotland. At the time, Trump argued the “ugly” turbines were “monstrosities” that would help sink Scotland’s tourism industry. 

He ultimately lost the legal fight aimed at halting construction of the turbines, but now he appears to be back with a vengeance. On a recent visit to the U.K., Trump spoke out against the country’s energy agenda, which focuses on a shift away from fossil fuels to renewable alternatives. During the visit, Trump stated, “They should get rid of the windmills and bring back the oil… The windmills are really detrimental to the beauty of Scotland and every other place they go up.”

The United States appeared to be a favourable investment environment for renewable energy companies looking to develop their portfolios under the Biden administration, which encouraged companies such as Ørsted and Equinor to plan major onshore and offshore wind power developments in the U.S. However, Trump’s recent attack on wind energy has made the investment outlook much more uncertain, leading companies to lose both public confidence and funds as they struggle to develop new projects. 

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

 

U.S. Renewable Energy Faces a Looming Workforce Crisis

By Haley Zaremba - Aug 16, 2025

• The renewable energy sector, despite market growth, faces a significant talent gap across both white-collar and blue-collar positions that threatens its continued expansion.
• 
  
• The labor shortage is exacerbated by a lack of awareness regarding career paths in clean energy and a departure of experienced professionals to other industries.
• 
  
• Concrete solutions to the talent gap include forging strategic alliances with educational institutions, developing Registered Apprenticeship pathways, updating credential requirements, and rethinking recruitment strategies.
• 
  

Despite a discouraging political climate and unprecedented uncertainty in the United States clean energy sector, low costs of wind and solar energy continue to drive growth of the domestic clean energy sector. However, while market forces continue to support the expansion of renewable energy capacity, the sector faces critical challenges extending beyond the antagonism of the Trump administration. 

The continued growth of solar and wind power risks being hampered by several mitigating factors, including (but not limited to) intensifying competition over increasingly scarce suitable land plots, stressed and volatile global supply chains, lengthy and unpredictable development processes, Complex and overlapping permitting processes, and a critical talent gap.

The renewable energy labor shortage has been years in the making, but is no less closer to resolution. The issue spans both white collar and blue collar positions, and threatens to kneecap progress in the booming sector. Between the years of 2011 and 2030, it is expected that global levels of installed wind and solar capacity will quadruple. Analysis from McKinsey & Company concludes that “this huge surge in new wind and solar installations will be almost impossible to staff with qualified development and construction employees as well as operations and maintenance workers.”

“It’s unclear where these employees will come from in the future,” the McKinsey report goes on to say. “There are too few people with specialized and relevant expertise and experience, and too many of them are departing for other companies or other industries.” 

The solar and wind industries are suffering from a lack of awareness of career paths and opportunities, despite their well-established presence in domestic markets. Emergent clean energies face an even steeper uphill battle. Geothermal energy, for example, is poised for explosive growth as one of vanishingly few carbon-free energy solutions with broad bipartisan support, but faces a severe talent gap and punishingly low levels of awareness in potential talent pools. 

But while the outlook is discouraging, industry insiders argue that it’s too soon to sound the alarms. In fact, a recent report from Utility Drive contends that “solutions to the energy talent gap are hiding in plain sight.” The article breaks down those solutions into four concrete approaches: building partnerships with educators, formulating Registered Apprenticeship pathways, updating credential requirements to reflect real-world needs, and rethinking stale recruitment strategies.

Targeting strategic alliances with educational institutions is a crucial strategy for creating a skilled workforce, particularly in emerging sectors like geothermal energy. Businesses can, for example, partner with and sponsor programs at community colleges, creating a pipeline for the next generation of skilled workers. Apprenticeships serve a similar purpose, encouraging hands-on learning outside of the classroom. Such apprenticeships can apply to white collar positions as well as blue collar roles.

“If we can figure out a way to educate the younger generation that you can actually have a career that you can be proud of and help solve a problem the world is facing, but also work in the extractive industry, I think that could go a long way,” said Jeanine Vany, executive vice president of corporate affairs for Canadian geothermal firm Eavor, speaking about the geothermal energy talent gap.

These approaches won’t solve the talent gap overnight – especially as political developments may discourage would-be jobseekers from placing their bets on a career in the renewables sector. But they will go a long way toward mitigating the issue.

“The clean energy transition depends on a workforce that can sustain it,” reports Utility Drive. “To meet the hiring challenges, employers will benefit from looking beyond the next position to fill and working toward a strategic, industry-wide vision for attracting talent.”

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

Trump Moves to Open 82% of Alaska’s Petroleum Reserve for Drilling

By Felicity Bradstock - Aug 16, 2025

• The Trump administration plans to double Alaska’s oil output and expand drilling across 82% of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, reversing environmental protections.
• 
  
• Supporters cite economic benefits, energy independence, and Alaska’s reliance on oil revenue, while opponents warn of irreversible damage to Arctic ecosystems and Indigenous communities.
• 
  
• Environmentalists argue the move undermines global climate goals, with new projects potentially operating for decades beyond the 2050 net-zero target.

Since coming into office, United States President Donald Trump has doubled down on his “Drill, baby, drill” statement by opening federal land for licensing and encouraging oil and gas companies to increase production. One state Trump has set his sights on is Alaska, an area where oil operations have become increasingly more controversial in recent years due to concerns over environmental degradation.

President Trump hopes to double the quantity of crude moving through Alaska’s pipelines, as well as construct a giant gas project, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said during a tour of Prudhoe Bay oilfield in June. “Let’s double oil production, build the big, beautiful twin, and we will help energise the world and we will strengthen our country and strengthen our families,” stated Wright.

That same month, the Department of the Interior announced plans to repeal Biden-era restrictions on the licensing and development of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, which was designated as a protected wildlife reserve. The agency argued that the Biden-era rule was inconsistent with the 1976 Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act, which allowed for oil and gas leasing in the area.

“Congress was clear: the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska was set aside to support America’s energy security through responsible development,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement. “The 2024 rule ignored that mandate, prioritising obstruction over production and undermining our ability to harness domestic resources at a time when American energy independence has never been more critical."

Following the initial announcement, the public was given the opportunity to comment, during which time around 250,000 people responded. However, in July, the Interior Department confirmed it would be revoking three documents that had been aimed at limiting drilling in the reserve, marking a win for President Trump, who has fought for the last seven months to encourage more drilling.

President Biden introduced the restrictions during his time in office to prioritise traditional Indigenous uses, as well as protect habitats for polar bears, caribou, and other wildlife, across around 3 million acres of the 23-million-acre reserve. Around half of the reserve had previously been restricted from oil development under the Biden and Obama administrations. However, the Trump administration now plans to open 82 percent of the reserve to gas and oil drilling.

The question of more drilling in Alaska is a complex one, as environmentalists and Indigenous communities are extremely concerned about the potential impact of the move on environmental and human health. However, the oil and gas industry has provided much of the state’s revenue for decades and could provide an economic boost for several years to come.

Alaska’s North Slope contains six of the 100 largest oil fields in the United States and one of the 100 largest natural gas fields, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency. Alaska does not have a state sales tax or a personal income tax, as revenues from Alaska's oil and gas industry fund about half of the state government. In addition, since 1982, every eligible Alaskan resident has received an annual dividend based on the value of oil royalty revenue in the Alaska Permanent Fund. This has made oil operations extremely popular among much of Alaskan society.

Nevertheless, developing any new oil operations could cause irreparable damage to the environment and jeopardise the chances of achieving a global green transition. As part of its 2050 net-zero carbon emissions pathway, the International Energy Agency warned that no new oil and gas fields can be approved for development if the world hopes to achieve its climate aims. New oil and gas development threatens Arctic wildlife, undermines the rights of Alaska Natives, and puts one of the fastest-warming ecosystems on Earth at risk, according to opponents to the new move.

In 2023, the Biden administration approved the controversial Willow project, which is still under construction and is expected to come online in 2029. It could then be operational for over 30 years. This provides an idea of just how long an impact a new oil project has on the environment.

Andy Moderow, the senior director of policy at the Alaska Wilderness League, explained, “We’re not talking about oil next year. We’re talking about oil in 2050 and 2060 and beyond, when we need to move past it.” The projects “could easily be pumping oil when babies born today are retiring in a climate that’s not livable if that oil is not blocked”. 

While new fossil fuel projects could boost Alaska’s revenue, the state already has a strong oil fund that benefits its residents. Meanwhile, developing new projects could put the lives of native communities and wildlife at risk. While many governments around the world are discussing the most effective ways to transition to green, the removal of environmental restrictions in one of the world’s most vulnerable ecosystems seems at odds with international aims for climate progress. 

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

AFRICA IS A COUNTRY

Kenya’s Clean Energy Drive Gains Momentum Alongside Oil Ambitions

By Felicity Bradstock - Aug 17, 2025

• Kenya aims for 100% renewable electricity by 2030, with nearly 90% of its current power from clean sources like geothermal, wind, hydro, and solar.
• 
  
• The country is preparing for commercial oil exports in 2026 while expanding solar adoption, rural electrification, and clean cooking initiatives.
• 
  
• New policies, private investment in grids, and major renewable projects are driving Kenya toward universal electricity access and reduced power losses.
• 
  

Kenya has developed a strong renewable energy sector in recent years, as it aimed to diversify its energy mix beyond fossil fuels to boost its energy security. The launch of a national energy plan and the launch of a wide variety of renewable energy projects are expected to help achieve the country’s renewable energy aims, as the East African country also develops its oil production capacity.

Kenya began exporting crude oil in small quantities in 2019 and hopes to start commercial crude exports in 2026, following several development delays. The U.K. oil and gas firm Tullow Oil was unable to secure investors for the South Lokichar oilfield in the East African country after France’s TotalEnergies and London-listed Africa Oil withdrew from the project two years ago. This left Tullow on its own to find the financing needed to develop a pipeline to transport crude out of the landlocked northern region.

Tullow signed a terms agreement with Gulf Energy Ltd to sell all its working interests in Kenya for at least $120 million earlier this year and is expected to commence crude exports next year. The South Lokichar project is expected to produce between 60,000 and 100,000 bpd of crude, with an estimated 560 million barrels recoverable over 25 years. The Kenyan government also plans to launch an oil and gas exploration round for 10 blocks in September.

However, with the country’s oil industry in the nascent stage of development, Kenya is looking to continue developing its other energy sources to ensure its energy security. In 2018, Kenya set the goal of being 100 percent powered by renewable energy by 2020, a deadline that was later changed to 2030.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Kenya is on track to achieve universal electricity access by 2030, supported by wider electrification, using clean energy sources. Electricity access increased from 37 percent in 2013 to 79 percent in 2023, with urban areas having achieved full access. This was driven by the government’s 2015 Last Mile Connectivity Project. Kenya is expected to connect a further 280,000 households countrywide by the end of the year.

The rapid advancement in access, particularly in rural areas of the country, has been supported by the development of off-grid solar power projects. Solar adoption has been widespread, with Kenya contributing almost three-quarters of all solar home system sales in East Africa in 2023, according to an IEA report from April. It is estimated that one in five Kenyan households now uses solar-powered mini-grids or standalone systems.

The IEA’s Deputy Executive Director, Mary Burce Warlick, stated, “Kenya is showing how the strategic deployment of clean energy technologies and electrification in end-use sectors can significantly improve the lives of millions of the most vulnerable people in the world.”

The Kenyan government recently launched a National Energy Policy, with input from the IEA and other stakeholders. The Draft National Energy Policy (NEP) 2025-2034 incorporates recommendations from the IEA Energy Policy Review. Renewable energy sources, including geothermal, hydro, wind and solar sources, account for almost 90% of power generation, compared to 50 percent in 2000. Kenya is also home to the Lake Turkana Wind Project, the largest wind farm on the African continent. Meanwhile, geothermal energy contributes around one-third of Kenya’s electricity generation capacity.

However, one challenge that must be overcome to transition to green is the ongoing burning of polluting fuels such as firewood, charcoal, and kerosene by millions of households, mainly in rural areas. The government aims to reduce this tendency through the rollout of its Kenya National Cooking Transition Strategy, which aims to achieve universal access to clean cooking by 2028.

Kenya also plans to modernise and expand its electricity grid, following the introduction of new regulations in 2024 to open transmission and distribution networks to private investment, to encourage competition, reduce costs and improve efficiency. In 2023, roughly 23 percent of power was lost in Kenya’s transmission network due to technical issues, theft, and billing problems. The introduction of smart grids and better management systems is expected to reduce these losses moving forward.

In March, Kenya launched a tender for 80 MW of solar power across two 40 MW projects in the south of the country. This follows the announcement by the French Development Agency in August 2024 that it planned to fund a 42.5 MW solar plant around 100 km northeast of Kenya's capital, Nairobi. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, Kenya had 358 MW of solar power by the end of 2023. 

Meanwhile, in July, commercial banks, including the British International Investment, Norway’s Norfund, and the Dutch development bank FMO, bought into a $156 million financing deal for off-grid solar power in Kenya, investing in Sun King operations. This is expected to contribute to the sale of around 1.4 million solar home systems in rural areas across the country.  “What makes this work is that we collect small, steady and predictable payments from millions of customers,” said Sun King’s co-founder Anish Thakkar. 

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

Natural Gas Could Be Angola’s Next Big Money Maker

By Tsvetana Paraskova - Aug 16, 2025

• Angola is increasingly focusing on natural gas development and exports as its oil production is expected to decline despite recent new oil project startups.
• 
  
• A recent major natural gas discovery offshore Angola by Azule Energy, a joint venture of BP and Eni, suggests significant untapped gas resources that could boost LNG exports and state revenues.
• 
  
• The launch of the New Gas Consortium (NGC) project, Angola's first non-associated gas development, is anticipated to be a crucial test for gas monetization in the country.

Angola is betting big on natural gas developments as a short-term increase in oil production is not expected to last despite the West African country leaving OPEC over capped production.  

Companies operating in Angola have recently started up two oil projects, but they have also begun to target non-associated offshore gas plays, hoping that a massive gas resource could be waiting to be tapped. 

Despite the recent oil project startups, Angola’s oil production is expected to drop to about 1 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2027, from over 1.1 million bpd now, officials at the national oil and gas agency ANPG have told Reuters.

At the same time, natural gas output is set to jump by 2030, per ANPG estimates.   

Increased gas output will raise Angola’s LNG exports as developers offshore Africa bet big on natural gas to export to Europe and Asia. 

A recent large gas discovery year could be one of many gas plays that could underpin a jump in LNG exports and state revenues from gas. 

Last month, Azule Energy, a joint venture of international majors BP and Eni, discovered a major natural gas reservoir offshore Angola in the first gas-targeting exploration well in the oil-producing country.

Initial assessments suggest gas volumes in place could exceed 1 trillion cubic feet, with up to 100 million barrels of associated condensate, Azule Energy said, adding that these results “confirm the presence of a working hydrocarbon system and open new exploration opportunities in the area.”

Azule Energy CEO, Adriano Mongini, commented:

“This is a landmark moment for gas exploration in Angola. Gajajeira-01 is the country’s first dedicated gas exploration well, and its success reinforces our confidence in the potential of the Lower Congo Basin.” 

More recently, Mongini told Reuters that “Given that Angola has a couple of prolific basins, I can imagine that we will be able to find much more reserves of gas.” 

BP’s EVP production & operations, Gordon Birrell, highlighted the Angola discovery and its potential on the Q2 earnings call.  

“Under the Azule brand, we had a discovery in Gajajeira in block 1/14, pretty close to shore, very developable. So West Africa remains an exciting area for us in terms of exploration,” Birrell told analysts.  

The exciting gas discovery comes as Angola struggles to materially boost oil production even after exiting OPEC in January 2024, following a spat with the OPEC and OPEC+ members about production quotas.  

Angola’s oil production peaked in 2008 at about 2 million bpd. Output has declined in recent years, due to underinvestment in offshore resources due to higher development costs, which have prompted many companies to overlook the African oil producer as an investment destination.

Azule Energy and TotalEnergies started up new oil projects last month, but these may not be enough to offset a decline in maturing fields. 

Azule Energy announced at the end of July the successful startup and first oil production from the Agogo FPSO. Combined, the Agogo and the Ndungu fields have estimated reserves of about 450 million barrels, with projected peak production of 175,000 barrels per day, produced via two FPSOs (Agogo and Ngoma).  

Also at the end of July, TotalEnergies launched oil production from the BEGONIA and CLOV Phase 3 offshore projects via subsea tiebacks to FPSOs to add a total of 60,000 barrels a day of new production. 

Still, Angola’s oil revenues have dropped this year due to falling oil prices. Revenues from oil declined by 4% from the first quarter to $5.6 billion in the second quarter, according to government data. LNG and gas exports meanwhile, earned $755 million in the second quarter.  

Now the BP-Eni Azule venture is close to launching first gas from the New Gas Consortium (NGC) project after completing early this year the Quiluma and Maboqueiro offshore platforms in a “significant step forward in Angola’s first non-associated gas development.” 

The NGC project is a joint venture between Azule Energy, Sonangol E&P, Chevron, and TotalEnergies. 

“Development of (NGC's) Quiluma and Maboqueiro fields, due to launch around end-2025, is the real litmus test for gas monetisation in Angola,” Jimmy Boulter, an analyst at Enverus, told Reuters.   

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com