As Donald Trump prepares to reclaim the White House in 2025, the clean energy sector is thriving—and it’s not slowing down. Despite the president-elect’s long-standing doubts about climate change and promises to roll back environmental regulations, renewable energy and climate tech jobs are surging, driven by market forces and state-level momentum that even a second Trump term may struggle to derail.
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows clean energy employment—spanning solar, wind, and battery tech—grew by 5.3% in 2024, outpacing the broader economy. That’s nearly 200,000 new jobs, bringing the total to over 3.5 million nationwide. States like Texas and Florida, hardly green strongholds, lead the pack, thanks to cheap land and abundant sunshine fueling solar farms. “The economics are too strong to ignore,” said Maria Chavez, an analyst at Clean Energy Associates. “Fossil fuels are losing ground, Trump or no Trump.”
Trump’s first term saw him ditch the Paris climate accord and boost oil and gas, but renewables still crept forward. This time, he’s vowed to gut the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)—Biden’s $369 billion climate package that supercharged clean tech with tax credits and subsidies. Experts predict he’ll face resistance. Red-state lawmakers, whose districts now host wind turbine factories and EV plants, have skin in the game. “You can’t just turn off jobs,” said Tom Reynolds, a GOP strategist. “That’s political dynamite.”
Climate tech isn’t sweating it either. Startups in carbon capture and green hydrogen—darlings of the IRA—say they’re ready to lean on private cash if federal support dries up. Venture funding hit $22 billion in 2024, per PitchBook, signaling investor confidence. “The train’s left the station,” said Lila Tran, CEO of EcoVolt, a battery innovator. “Policy can nudge, but markets decide.”
Still, hurdles loom. Trump could slap tariffs on imported solar panels or slow permitting for big projects, moves that might crimp growth in blue states leaning hard into net-zero goals. Environmentalists worry he’ll stall global climate talks, too. Yet, for workers like Jake Hensley, a wind technician in Oklahoma, it’s all noise. “I’ve got steady pay and a clear future,” he said. “Washington can argue—I’ll keep climbing turbines.”
The paradox is stark: a climate-skeptic president overseeing a green jobs boom. Whether Trump adapts or digs in, clean energy’s roots may prove too deep to uproot.