
-
Lessons and liquids: buried alive in Myanmar's earthquake
-
Trump tariffs spark fears for Asian jobs, exporting sectors
-
Stocks and dollar sink, havens rally as Trump tariffs fan trade war
-
Runners fly to North Korea for first post-Covid Pyongyang Marathon
-
Hamilton rubbishes claims he's lost faith in Ferrari
-
Nintendo Switch 2 sparks excitement despite high price
-
Sri Lanka's crackdown on dogs for India PM's visit sparks protest
-
S Korea police raise security levels ahead of impeachment verdict
-
China vows 'countermeasures' to sweeping new US tariffs
-
Trump jolts allies, foes and markets with tariff blitz
-
France says EU to target US online services after Trump tariffs
-
Tsunoda vows to bring 'something different' after Red Bull promotion
-
Verstappen not happy with Tsunoda-Lawson Red Bull swap
-
Experts accuse 54 top Nicaragua officials of grave abuses
-
Remains of 30th victim of Los Angeles fires found
-
EU to target US online services after Trump tariffs: France
-
How Trump's 'liberation day' tariffs will impact China
-
Malaysia suspends search for long-missing flight MH370
-
Search for long-missing flight MH370 suspended: Malaysia minister
-
Europe hits out at Trump tariffs, keeps door open for talks
-
Myanmar's junta chief to head to Bangkok summit as quake toll surpasses 3,000
-
Lawson vows to prove he belongs in F1 after shock of Red Bull axing
-
Australia sweats through hottest 12 months on record: official data
-
Livestock theft is central to jihadist economy in west Africa
-
South African artist champions hyenas in 'eco-queer' quest
-
Danish PM in 'unity' Greenland visit amid US takeover threats
-
Taiwan says US tariffs 'highly unreasonable'
-
Lawson says ruthless Red Bull axing was 'tough to hear'
-
Heat humble Celtics for sixth straight win, Thunder roll on
-
Trump escalates trade war with sweeping global tariffs
-
Japan says US tariffs 'extremely regrettable', may break WTO rules
-
South Koreans anxious, angry as court to rule on impeached president
-
Juve at in-form Roma with Champions League in the balance
-
Injuries put undermanned Bayern's title bid to the test
-
Ovechkin scores 892nd goal -- three away from Gretzky's NHL record
-
Australian former rugby star Petaia signs for NFL's Chargers
-
China says opposes new US tariffs, vows 'countermeasures'
-
Athletics world watching as 'Grand Slam Track' prepares for launch
-
Heat humble Celtics for sixth straight win, Cavs top Knicks
-
Quake-hit Myanmar's junta chief to head to Bangkok summit
-
New Spielberg, Nolan films teased at CinemaCon
-
Shaken NATO allies to meet Trump's top diplomat
-
Israel's Netanyahu arrives in Hungary, defying ICC warrant
-
Shiny and deadly, unexploded munitions a threat to Gaza children
-
Stocks tank, havens rally as Trump tariffs fan trade war
-
Altomare hangs on to tie defending champ Korda at LPGA Match Play
-
Paraguay gold rush leaves tea producers bitter
-
Health concerns swirl as Bolivian city drowns in rubbish
-
Syria says deadly Israeli strikes a 'blatant violation'
-
Financial markets tumble after Trump tariff announcement

Trump casts chill over US wind energy sector
Donald Trump has long ranted against wind energy -- claiming turbines are unsightly, dangerous to wildlife and too expensive -- with him threatening to upend decades of industry progress just a few hours after resuming power.
"We're not going to do the wind thing," Trump said Monday as he returned to the Oval Office for the first time in four years as commander-in-chief.
"Big, ugly windmills," he said as he signed a series of executive orders that has brought the sector into crisis, adding that "they kill your birds, and they ruin your beautiful landscape."
Among the measures were a temporary freeze on federal permitting and loans for all offshore and onshore wind projects.
Jason Grumet, president of the American Clean Power Association (ACP), quickly slammed the move, saying it "increases bureaucratic barriers, undermining domestic energy development and harming American businesses and workers."
After the announcements, wind-related stocks fell into the red.
"It's had a real cooling effect on the sector," Elizabeth Wilson, an offshore wind specialist at Dartmouth University, told AFP.
Conflict-weary developers are already "backing away from some of these projects," she said.
Coming at the same time as he has declared a "national energy emergency," some observers have noted a contradiction in Trump's assault on wind energy.
Though not as robust as in Europe, wind energy in 2023 accounted for some 10 percent of US electricity production -- more than twice as much as solar.
Onshore wind power is also relatively inexpensive, according to experts, with the price per megawatt-hour ranging from $27 to $73 in 2024, far less than nuclear or coal -- though rates could fluctuate in the future.
Ember, an energy think tank, warned on Thursday that the United States "risks being left behind in the clean industrial revolution" as major economies such as China are increasingly "embracing wind as a source of cheap, clean electricity."
It remains to be seen what the longterm effects of Trump's actions will have on the sector, which has already faced struggles in the United States in recent years due to rising costs from inflation and interest rates, along with mounting local opposition to projects.
The offshore wind industry, still in its infancy in the United States, is likely to be the hardest hit, according to Wilson, as the majority of exploitable marine areas are in federal waters subject to Trump's measures.
However, "most of the onshore development happens on private lands where the federal government doesn't really have any control," she added.
- 'I don't want even one built' -
Days before taking office, Trump wrote on his Truth Social media platform: "I don't want even one (windmill) built during my Administration."
That pledge has seriously spooked the sector, which is worried he could permanently block subsidies or the environmental approvals needed for certain projects.
Such moves would likely be challenged in court and prompt political backlash.
"Ninety-nine percent of onshore wind power projects are on private lands, and the private landowners generally like these wind farms, and they get a lot of economic benefit from them," said Michigan Technological University professor emeritus Barry Solomon.
He noted that the projects are also largely in Republican-led states such as Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Kansas and the Dakotas.
The ACP also warned that restricting wind development would "increase consumer energy bills."
Despite the headwinds, some experts remain optimistic.
"Ultimately... the economics is driving the desire for wind and solar," said University of Delaware professor Jeremy Firestone.
With artificial intelligence, he added, energy needs "are increasing a great deal. So there's going to be a lot of pressure to continue to build out wind turbines."
F.Bennett--AMWN