There were some highs amid a lot of lows in a roller coaster year for clean energy as President Donald Trump worked to boost fossil fuels while blocking wind and solar, according to dozens of energy developers, experts and politicians.

Surveyed by The Associated Press, many describe 2025 as turbulent and challenging for clean energy, though there was progress as projects connected to the electric grid. They say clean energy must continue to grow to meet skyrocketing demand for electricity to power data centers and to lower Americans’ utility bills.

Solar builder and operator Jorge Vargas says it has been “a very tough year for clean energy” as Trump often made headlines criticizing renewable energy and Republicans muscled a tax and spending cut bill through Congress in July that dramatically rolled back tax breaks for clean energy.

“There was a cooldown effect this year,” says Vargas, co-founder and CEO of Aspen Power. “Having said that, we are a resilient industry.”

Plug Power President Jose Luis Crespo says the developments—both policy recalibration and technological progress—will shape clean energy’s trajectory for years to come.

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