So, where exactly does the US energy transition stand?

Analysts are debating how much damage federal policy changes have done to the country's shift toward clean energy, and the honest answer is nobody knows for sure. One MIT researcher argues power-sector emissions are still on track to drop substantially by 2035, since many wind and solar projects locked in tax credits before they were eliminated, as long as they finish construction within four years. Other researchers, including at the Natural Resources Defense Council, say the country will still fall well short of the emissions cuts it would have seen under prior policy. Most agree clean energy building should stay fairly strong through 2030, but what happens after that is anyone's guess, depending on energy prices, permitting fights, and the 2028 election.

None of this changes what's available to homeowners right now, but it's worth knowing the backdrop: incentives tied to specific project types can still work through their grandfathered timelines even as broader federal support shifts.

Elsewhere, Tesla is discontinuing its solar roof shingles after years of underwhelming sales, and will focus instead on standard solar panels, including a new Texas factory. Globally, renewable energy investment remains strong, with residential solar investment rising sharply and solar power expected to produce more electricity than coal worldwide for the first time this year. In Europe, solar helped keep air conditioners running through record heat and drought this summer, even as other power sources struggled.