ABSTRACT
This chapter assesses changes in America’s energy policies and the impact of the Trump administration on these policies and their environmental implications. In recent decades, America has increased its use of natural gas and renewable energy sources. However, the Trump administration has sought to reverse this, encouraging a revival of coal and a retreat from renewables. Despite Trump’s efforts to repeal the Clean Power Plan, however, the closure of low-efficient coal power plants will continue. The growth of renewable energy, particularly solar energy, however, may suffer from tariffs on imported solar panels. Thus, the future of renewable energy remains uncertain owing to changing government regulations. Nevertheless, market efficiency and renewable energy will continue to grow, although state and local governments may increasingly lead the transition to low-emission energy.
