Google Gemini was used to research this piece. This Essay was posted on 8/16/2025.
Donald Trump wants to rescue the oil and coal industry by cutting federal programs in in renewable energy. While his efforts could pause our efforts to cool the planet, I don’t think Trump will succeed in the long run. Trump’s nemesis could be Capitalism.
One example is Ford Moter Company. Ford is spending $2 Billion retooling a Kentucky plant to build EV trucks. The new truck is planned for a 2027 delivery. The factory assembly lines will be redesigned for efficiency, and the truck design with fewer parts will be easier to assemble. Ford is also spending another $3 Billion to produce its own batteries.
Why would Ford spend all this money on a product that cost them $5 billion last year? Ford CEO Jim Farley says that EVs are the future and there’s no turning back. Ford wants to stay in business and it knows that, to succeed, it must be competitive in the world marketplace as well as the US.
Another example is NextEra Energy. NextEra is the main power generator for Florida Power and Light. NextEra is in most or all energy sectors including renewable energy sources. NextEra doesn’t limit itself to Florida. It does business with other states and Canada. It has a growing renewable energy base with 36 GW to 46 GW coming online in the next 2 years. With an annual revenue of about $25 Billion, NextEra isn’t going away, and it clearly recognizes that the future is in renewables.
And there are other large companies with similar goals and ongoing projects. The future is always uncertain, but the incentives in US corporations to protect their large investments, to stay in business, and to stay ahead of their competition, and the knowledge that the future lies in renewables leads me to be hopeful.
Click for Next Essay: The ICE Problem