Clean Energy Soared in the U.S. in 2017 Due to Economics, Policy, and Technology

President Trump rolled out the antiquated arguments about why clean energy was too expensive and a threat to the grid.  But markets and policies mostly ignored him.

As President Donald Trump moved to roll back environmental protections and foster a boom in fossil fuel energy production, his administration effectively abandoned the race for global leadership in slowing global warming.

But in many ways, the transformation of the energy economy in a new, green direction continued apace in the United States, just as abroad.

Some pre-Trump policies, like U.S. tax breaks for renewables, survived.  The social and market forces that have been shouldering coal aside persisted.  And the mantle of leadership passed not only to Europe, China and developing nations, but to American cities and states.

The cost of renewable energy keeps going down, comparing favorably with coal.  Battery technology also continues to improve and get cheaper.  And digital technology is making electric markets cleaner and more efficient, as well.

Here are how these trends are emerging, both in the United States and abroad.

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