U.S. federal court overturns Trump-era ban on new wind projects on federal lands and waters
A U.S. federal judge on December 8 struck down President Trump’s executive order banning new wind projects on federal lands and offshore areas, ruling the action “arbitrary and capricious.”[1] The decision immediately reopens a large pipeline of onshore and offshore wind lease areas, particularly benefiting states such as New York and Massachusetts that rely on federal seabed access to meet renewable energy targets.[1]
EU advances major grid upgrade and permitting reforms to absorb more renewables
The European Union has proposed legal changes to speed cross-border grid infrastructure and cut bottlenecks that could otherwise force curtailment of up to 310 TWh of renewable generation by 2040.[1] Draft rules would also exempt many small-scale renewable and storage projects from full environmental permits and are backed by a €1.2 trillion investment plan aimed at modernizing Europe’s networks for high renewable penetration.[1]
U.S. battery storage industry surpasses 2025 deployment goals and becomes a major grid resource
The U.S. grid-scale battery storage sector has exceeded its 2025 capacity targets, with more than 40 GW now installed nationwide.[1] From July to September, storage made up nearly half of new renewable capacity additions, helping integrate growing solar and wind output despite federal policy rollbacks.[1]
Renewables dominate U.S. power capacity growth in 2025 despite policy uncertainty
Renewables accounted for about 93% of new U.S. generating capacity additions (30.2 GW) through September 2025, with solar and storage alone representing 83% of the total.[5] Deloitte notes developers are racing to start projects before year-end 2025 to lock in tax credit eligibility ahead of new “foreign entity of concern” sourcing rules that could slow additions after 2026.[5]