WASHINGTON, United States — US President Donald Trump’s energy policies will result in the loss of $700 billion in clean energy investments over the next decade and double the power sector’s carbon dioxide emissions by 2035, according to an analysis published on Tuesday, August 25, 2026.
Golden Info reports that the Natural Resources Defence Council published the study, titled “An Affordability Crisis of Trump’s Making,” after examining the cumulative impact of federal administrative and legislative actions on the power sector. The non-profit organization calculated that the administration’s policies will prevent the addition of 390 to 540 gigawatts of new wind, solar, and energy storage capacity by 2035, a range comparable to India’s total installed power capacity of 520 gigawatts.
While Donald Trump campaigned on reducing utility bills by half within 18 months of taking office, electricity costs rose 16 percent as of May 2026, according to Energy Information Administration data. Policy measures evaluated in the analysis include the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed in July 2025, which removed clean energy tax credits, alongside broad international tariffs that increased supply chain costs for power generation equipment. The agenda also encompasses permitting delays for wind developments, mandatory retention of aging fossil fuel plants past planned retirements, and support for new or restarted coal facilities.
The report calculated that US electricity consumers will pay up to $30 billion more annually by 2035, with household utility bills increasing by up to 25 percent in specific regions. Annual carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector are projected to reach more than 1 billion metric tons by 2035, compared to just over 500 million metric tons under previous policy standards, with both estimates accounting for increased electricity demand driven by data centers.
“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 the NRDC. “As a result, utility bills are on the rise, projects are cancelled, jobs are lost and more pollution is endangering the health of our families and the climate.”
Higher levels of air pollution from expanded coal and gas plant operations are projected to cause up to 69,000 additional early deaths over the next decade. The analysis also calculated that the elevated pollution levels will result in 85,000 additional emergency room visits and hospital admissions during the same period.