ScienceAIEnergyThe fossil fuel comeback is hereData centers are demanding more energy, and the Trump administration is making sure fossil fuels meet the moment.Data centers are demanding more energy, and the Trump administration is making sure fossil fuels meet the moment.by Justine CalmaOct 19, 2026, 9:48 PM UTCShareGiftImage: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty ImagesPart OfAll the latest updates on AI data centerssee all updates Justine Calma is a senior science reporter covering energy and the environment with more than a decade of experience. She is also the host of Hell or High Water: When Disaster Hits Home, a podcast from Vox Media and Audible Originals.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. Despite those growing demands, the Trump administration has sought to hobble the wind and solar industries in favor of fossil fuels.America’s energy landscape is already shifting as a result, according to the report published last week by the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund and research firm Atlas Public Policy. If all the gas projects in the development pipeline complete construction, they could lock in more pollution and higher electricity prices for decades, the authors warn.“The U.S. power sector is at a new inflection point”“The U.S. power sector is at a new inflection point, with decisions made today shaping the cost, reliability, and emissions profile of the grid for decades to come,” the report says.While the US still generates 60 percent of its electricity from fossil fuels, renewables have quickly gained ground.
Wind and solar produced more electricity together than coal for the first time in 2024. Solar was the fastest-growing source of new electricity generation that year, accounting for 81 percent of added capacity. Globally, solar has become the cheapest power source in most of the world.Then Donald Trump stepped into his second term as president with a plan to “drill, baby, drill” for fossil fuels, his preferred power source for energy-hungry data centers. His administration has sought to kill renewable energy projects by issuing stop work orders, blocking permits, and removing tax incentives.
We’re still seeing a rush of new solar and wind farms driven by relatively low costs, although many of them make up the last wave of projects that benefited from Biden-era incentives.The winds are shifting in favor of gas-fired power plants. Plans for new fossil fuel infrastructure climbed from just 5 percent of all new capacity in 2024 to 30 percent by the second quarter of 2026, according to the new report, which analyzes data from the US Energy Information Administration. If the trend continues, fossil fuels could make up 70 percent of the development pipeline by the end of the decade. Planned fossil capacity would reach 68 gigawatts by 2030, reflecting a 45 percent jump from construction plans just six months ago.Many of those plans could still fall through, particularly if forecasts for AI data center energy demand are overblown.
But for now, renewable energy projects are being canceled at a faster clip than fossil fuels, at 4.9 percent compared to 2.9 percent of projects, respectively.New utility-scale solar and wind farms still beat gas when it comes to cost, coming in at $68 to $69 per megawatt-hour on average compared to $90 per megawatt-hour for new combined-cycle natural gas plants, the report finds. Fossil fuels are also subject to increasing price volatility, particularly since the US instigated war with Iran. Gas and coal power plants also emit air pollutants and the greenhouse gases causing climate change, leading to more health costs. Electricity bills have risen across the nation as utilities upgrade power grids and build new energy infrastructure to meet rising demand.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Justine CalmaAIEnergyEnvironmentScienceMicrosoft abandons the UK’s largest data center project.Jess Weatherbed3:59 PM UTCAmazon is funding a new nuclear plant in IndianaJess Weatherbed3:44 PM UTCYou’ve got to hear both sides?Richard LawlerOct 16Most PopularCities want to put the boot on robotaxisApple teases MacBook Pro event next weekWebsites are closing their doors to AI agentsVibe coding is turning the music gear world upside downA woman was arrested in Philly for blocking a delivery robotAdvertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native ad
