America’s Hatred of ‘Loser’ Wind Farms Is Contagious

Donald Trump’s hatred of wind power continues. In a speech in Davos last week that managed to upset almost everyone, the US president still found time to get in a few trademark digs at renewable energy. “There are windmills all over Europe… and they are losers,” he said, in a strange anthropomorphism. “One thing I’ve noticed is that the more windmills a country has, the more money that country loses, and the worse that country is doing. I haven’t been able to find any wind farms in China.”

The first points to make are that windmills make flour, not electricity, and China has more installed wind power than any other nation. The other point is that Trump’s wind skepticism seems to be contagious. Once upon a time, securing more wind power would have been celebrated by everyone, no matter their political colors. But a recent round of renewable energy subsidies in the UK highlights just how much sentiment has changed, and how climate action is facing an enormous communications challenge at a critical moment.