【By Observer Net, Yuan Jiaqi】

According to the Financial Times and The Guardian on the 11th, after frequently attacking renewable energy and halting several wind power projects, the Trump administration in the United States has once again rejected a large-scale solar power project in Nevada this week, directly leading to the demise of what could have become the world's largest photovoltaic power plant.

According to the introduction, this super project located in the south of Nevada is named "The Esmeralda Seven," which is planned to cover an area of 185 square miles (an area close to that of Las Vegas City), and includes seven solar sub-projects proposed by multiple companies, including NextEra Energy Resources, Leeward Renewable Energy, Arevia Power, and Invenergy.

Under the original development plan, after the solar panels and energy storage battery network of this project are put into use, the total installed capacity will reach 6.2 gigawatts, enough to meet the electricity needs of nearly 2 million households. After completion, it will not only become the largest solar project in North America but also rank among the world's largest photovoltaic power stations.

However, according to information updated on the website of the Bureau of Land Management this Thursday, the solar power station project has now been marked as "canceled."

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) website shows the project is "canceled"

According to a report by the Financial Times, the U.S. Department of the Interior did not confirm that the project was completely canceled. Its response stated that developers can now choose to "submit individual project proposals to the U.S. Geological Survey for more effective analysis of potential impacts."

One of the main sponsors of the project, NextEra, the largest renewable energy company in the United States, said in a statement that the company still commits to "conducting a comprehensive environmental assessment of the project through close cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management."

The report states that the Esmeralda Seven project is one of several major clean energy projects promoted by Biden during his tenure. However, since Trump took office, the efforts of the Biden administration to promote renewable energy have encountered increasing resistance.

"All solar projects on public lands in this state have stalled, not just this project," said Patrick Donnelly, director of the Biodiversity Center in Nevada.

Ben Norris, vice president of regulatory affairs at the American Solar Industry Association, also told the Financial Times, "We are deeply concerned about the Trump administration's continuous disregard for the law, which harms consumer interests, grid stability, and the competitiveness of the U.S. economy."

"The grid urgently needs more power supply, and the solar and energy storage industry is ready to support it, but we need the government to take it seriously and truly achieve U.S. energy dominance," he said.

After returning to the White House in January, Trump intensified his crackdown on the renewable energy industry, especially targeting offshore wind projects with frequent "bans." Not only did it suspend offshore wind project leases, but it also halted an offshore wind project approved in New York State. Media analysts believe that Trump's policies will lead to a sharp reduction in the U.S. offshore wind reserve projects.

According to calculations by the U.S. consulting firm Atlas Public Policy, nearly $19 billion worth of wind and solar power projects have been canceled since Trump took office.

At the United Nations General Assembly held in September, Trump loudly criticized the climate change issue, calling it "the greatest hoax in the history of the world," claiming that the scientific consensus on global warming is "nonsense created by stupid people." He also criticized many countries, including the U.S.'s close allies, for adopting renewable energy, even opposing leaders of various countries from complying with international agreements to limit global temperature rise and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Trump arrogantly claimed, "I'm not bragging, but my views on everything are correct. Now I tell you: if you don't get rid of this green energy 'scam,' your country will definitely decline."

After these remarks were condemned globally, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers defended him, saying, "Regardless of whether it's called 'global cooling,' 'global warming,' or 'climate change,' the radical climate agenda continues to destroy many great countries around the world."

Regarding this, Gina McCarthy, who served as the U.S. climate policy chief in the Biden administration, strongly criticized in a statement that climate change is causing increasingly severe and frequent disasters, causing serious damage to the U.S., while Trump refuses to fulfill the responsibility of the U.S. government to protect its citizens from these disasters.

"Trump continues to embarrass the U.S. on the global stage and harm the interests of the American people," she wrote.

On October 7th local time, the International Energy Agency (IEA) mentioned in its newly released "Renewables 2025" report that due to the Trump administration's adjustments to multiple clean energy policies, it has reduced the expected growth of renewable energy in the U.S. to 2030 by nearly 50%.

This article is exclusive to Observer Net, and unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7559992399930360354/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author. Please express your attitude by clicking the [top/foot] buttons below.