Ideology vs. Reality: The War on Renewable Energy Heats Up

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and U.S. President Donald Trump have become unlikely allies in their attacks on renewable energy, sparking concerns about the impact of ideological politics on the energy sector. Smith's recent moratorium on all wind and solar projects has driven 11 gigawatts of proposed renewable electricity projects out of the province, while Alberta now has the highest electricity rates in the country. Meanwhile, Trump has used his executive powers to halt a $4 billion offshore wind project in New England, citing "national security interests."

Key Takeaways:

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's moratorium on wind and solar projects has driven 11 gigawatts of proposed renewable electricity projects out of the province.
Alberta now has the highest electricity rates in the country, with prices 8 times higher than in Ontario.
U.S. President Donald Trump has used his executive powers to halt a $4 billion offshore wind project in New England, citing "national security interests."
Renewable energy projects are becoming increasingly cheaper, with over 90% of new energy capacity in the US coming from renewables in 2024.
Solar generating capacity has doubled in the last three years, while grid battery storage has grown at almost three times that rate.
Smith's ideological opposition to clean energy has accomplished little more than driving investment elsewhere and stoking extremist views against renewable energy.
Changes to Alberta's electricity markets favoring natural gas over renewables may increase rates by up to 30%.
Nova Scotia and British Columbia are courting renewable energy companies displaced by the politics of power generation in Alberta.

Statistics:

11 gigawatts of proposed renewable electricity projects have been driven out of Alberta.
Alberta's electricity rates are 8 times higher than in Ontario.
90% of new energy capacity in the US in 2024 came from renewables.
Solar generating capacity doubled in the last three years.
Grid battery storage grew at almost 3 times the rate of solar generating capacity.
Alberta's restructured energy market may increase rates by up to 30%.

Sources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRumC-jlHV8&t=1s (Alberta Premier Danielle Smith)
https://onlyoffice.infomaniak.com/9.0.4-90796062a0e98b2702f6d8eea95fe4cc/web-apps/apps/documenteditor/main/index.html?_dc=9.0.4-50&lang=en&customer=ONLYOFFICE&headerlogodark=https%3A%2F%2Fkdrive.infomaniak.com%2Fimages%2Foffice_logo_word_dark.svg&headerlogolight=https%3A%2F%2Fkdrive.infomaniak.com%2Fimages%2Foffice_logo_word_light.svg&type=desktop&frameEditorId=container-iframe-inside&isForm=false&parentOrigin=https://kdrive.infomaniak.com&fileType=docx#page=6 (Alberta electricity rates)
https://www.pembina.org/pub/wind-solar-projects-alberta-cancelled-alarming-rate (11 gigawatts of proposed renewable electricity projects driven out of Alberta)
https://powerhornet.com/average-electricity-bill-in-canada-provincial-breakdown/ (Alberta electricity rates)
https://440megatonnes.ca/insight/how-ontario-and-albertas-coal-phase-outs-led-to-massive-emissions-cuts/ (Alberta emissions per kilowatt hour)
https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/documents/renewable-energy/Director%26%23039;sOrder-20250822.pdf?VersionId=VO3AWAHsV_kDvT048xf8dG7A.Rsj6HZJ (U.S. President Donald Trump's order halting offshore wind project)
https://onlyoffice.infomaniak.com/9.0.4-90796062a0e98b2702f6d8eea95fe4cc/web-apps/apps/documenteditor/main/index.html?_dc=9.0.4-50&lang=en&customer=ONLYOFFICE&headerlogodark=https%3A%2F%2Fkdrive.infomaniak.com%2Fimages%2Foffice_logo_word_dark.svg&headerlogolight=https%3A%2F%2Fkdrive.infomaniak.com%2Fimages%2Foffice_logo_word_light.svg&type=desktop&frameEditorId=container-iframe-inside&isForm=false&parentOrigin=https://kdrive.infomaniak.com&fileType=docx#selection-697.43-697.108 (Share price of Orsted plunges 16%)
https://archive.ph/UOWd3 (Orsted forced to raise $9 billion)
https://archive.ph/vuLfz (Energy analyst Atin Jain on Trump's order)
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115061417084982814 (Trump's social media post on wind and solar)
https://archive.ph/C0F33 (Wind and solar cheapest sources of electricity)
https://apnews.com/article/trump-electricity-prices-wind-solar-7c089e33bf237a218f7ea9fe54ecb019 (90% of new energy capacity in US in 2024 came from renewables)
https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-investment-2024/overview-and-key-findings (Clean energy investment exceeds fossil fuels by 2:1 margin)
https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/global-electricity-review-2025/ (Solar generating capacity doubled in last 3 years)
https://onlyoffice.infomaniak.com/9.0.4-90796062a0e98b2702f6d8eea95fe4cc/web-apps/apps/documenteditor/main/index.html?_dc=9.0.4-50&lang=en&customer=ONLYOFFICE&headerlogodark=https%3A%2F%2Fkdrive.infomaniak.com%2Fimages%2Foffice_logo_word_dark.svg&headerlogolight=https%3A%2F%2Fkdrive.infomaniak.com%2Fimages%2Foffice_logo_word_light.svg&type=desktop&frameEditorId=container-iframe-inside&isForm=false&parentOrigin=https://kdrive.infomaniak.com&fileType=docx#page=21 (Grid battery storage grew at almost 3 times rate of solar generating capacity)
https://x.com/edcporter/status/1961010267040501946 (Energy expert on pace of change in renewable energy)
https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/One-Big-Beautiful-Bill-Senate-Reconciliation-Analysis_July-2025.pdf (Trump's efforts to hold back energy transition may lead to higher costs)
https://www.windconcerns.com/wind-concerns-team-entering-election-race/ (Mark Mallett on renewable opposition group Wind Concerns)
https://www.windconcerns.com/about-us/ (Wind Concerns)
https://www.pembina.org/media-release/investor-confidence-albertas-renewables-sector-remains-dampened (Pembina Institute report on renewable energy projects in Alberta)
https://www.pembina.org/media-release/albertas-restructured-energy-market-misses-mark-modernizing-grid (Changes to Alberta's electricity markets favoring natural gas over renewables)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/offshore-wind-energy-premier-tim-houston-1.7559530 (Nova Scotia's offshore wind development)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/wind-energy-british-columbia-1.7405911 (British Columbia's wind energy development)