Amid a period where the Trump administration has overseen a spike in costs, veteran climate campaigner Bill McKibben draws optimism from an unlikely source on a recent frigid day: solar energy.
For a quarter-century, the sun has supplied him with inexpensive electricity, and he recently upgraded to his fourth set of solar panels on his Vermont residence. In a post-installation interview, he stated that President Donald Trump’s opposition to solar and other low-cost renewable energy will damage Republican prospects in the upcoming elections as utility costs climb.
Following the Biden and Obama administrations’ support and promotion of solar, wind, and other green energy to combat climate change, Trump has sought to undermine these efforts and revert to more polluting fossil fuels. Last month, he moved to halt several projects, though three were later allowed to continue. Federal incentives for residential solar installation have also been targeted.
At the same time, electricity prices are climbing across the United States, a trend McKibben believes will drive political shifts.
“I think you’re starting to see that have a big political impact in the U.S. right now. My prediction would be that electric prices are going to be to the 2026 election what egg prices were to the 2024 election,” said McKibben, an author and founder of several environmental organizations. Analysts noted that everyday cost concerns significantly influenced the previous presidential contest.
On Friday, the Trump administration joined a bipartisan coalition of governors in urging the operator of the country’s largest power grid to act swiftly to increase electricity generation in the mid-Atlantic region and prevent further bill increases.
“Ensuring the American people have reliable and affordable electricity is one of President Trump’s top priorities,” stated White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers.
Renewable energy prices drop around the world
International research indicates the cost of wind and solar power is falling so rapidly that it is now lower than fossil fuels. China is making substantial investments in renewable technology, establishing itself as a leading manufacturer.
“We can’t economically compete in a world where China gets a lot of cheap energy and we have to pay for really expensive energy,” McKibben told The Associated Press, shortly after installing a new, easy-to-mount balcony solar panel system.
When Trump entered office, the average U.S. electricity price was approximately 16 cents per kilowatt-hour. By September, it had risen to 18.07 cents, dipping slightly to 17.98 cents in October, as per the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
This marks a 12.8% increase over ten months, a steeper rise than in the prior two years combined. Residents in some regions have experienced price hikes at triple the national rate since October 2024.
For a household using 900 kilowatt-hours monthly, the average bill is now roughly $18 higher than it was in January 2025.
Democrats blame Trump for rising electric bills
This week, Congressional Democrats attributed increasing power bills to Trump and his opposition to renewable energy.
“From his first day in office, he’s made it his mission to limit Americans’ access to cheap energy, all in the name of increasing profits for his friends in the fossil fuel industry. As a result, energy bills across the country have skyrocketed,” Illinois Rep. Sean Casten remarked at a Wednesday press conference.
“Donald Trump is the first president to intentionally raise the price of something that we all need,” said Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz, a Democrat, speaking on the Senate floor Wednesday. “Nobody should be enthused about paying more for electricity, and this national solar ban is making everybody pay more. Clean is cheap and cheap is clean.”
Solar panels on McKibben’s Vermont home
McKibben has fed surplus solar power back into Vermont’s grid for years and is now contributing even more.
With his dog, Birke, keeping watch, McKibben—who calls his Green Mountains home a “museum of solar technology”—activated his new panels in about ten minutes. These panels from California’s Bright Saver are commonly known as balcony solar units. While not widely accessible in the U.S., McKibben highlighted their prevalence in Europe and Australia.
“Americans spend three or four times as much money as Australians or Europeans to put solar panels on the roof. We have an absurdly overcomplicated permitting system that’s unlike anything else on the rest of the planet,” McKibben said.
He noted that Australians can access several hours of free power daily via a government initiative, thanks to the nation’s extensive solar infrastructure.
“And I’m almost certain that’s an argument that every single person in America would understand,” he added. “I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t say: ‘I’d like three free hours of electricity.'”
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Swinhart reported from Vermont. Borenstein reported from Washington. Matthew Daly contributed to this report from Washington.
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