
Samantha Gross, director of the Brookings Institutions Energy Security and Climate Initiative, said that while she isnt concerned about whether the US will build enough electricity generation to meet the needs of massive consumers like data centers and AI, she is worried that the bill pushes the next generation of that growth further towards fossil fuels.I dont think energy dominancenot just right this instant, but going forwardis just in fossil fuels, Gross said.Even beyond the One Big Beautiful Bill, Gross said that many of the administrations actions run counter to their stated objectives on energy.You hear all this talk about energy dominance, but for me its just a phrase, because a lot of things that the administration is actually doing are pushing against energy dominance, Gross said.If you think about the tariff policy, for instance, drill, baby, drill and a 50 percent tariff on pipeline steel do not go together.
Those are pulling in completely opposite directions.Aside from domestic energy needs, Gross also worried that the pullback from renewable energy will harm Americas position on the global stage.Its pretty clear which way the world is going, Gross said.
I worry that were giving up I dont like the term energy dominance, but future leadership in the worlds energy supply by pulling back from those.Were sort of ceding those technologies to China in a way that is very frustrating to me.Yet even in the wake of the bills passage, some experts see hope for the future of renewable energy in the US.Kevin Book, managing director at the research firm ClearView Energy Partners, said that the bill sets up a slower, shallower transition toward renewable energy.
However, he added that he doesnt think it represents the end of that transition.Most of the capacity were adding to our grid in America these days is renewable, and its not simply because of federal incentives, Book said.
So if you take away those federal incentives, there were still economic drivers.Still, Book said that the final impacts of the Trump administrations actions on renewable energy are yet to be seen.The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is not the end of the story, Book said.
Theres more coming, either regulatorily and/or legislatively.This story originally appeared on Inside Climate News.