Trump Administration Pays RWE $1.22 Billion to Cancel Offshore Wind Projects
The Trump administration paid German energy firm RWE $1.22 billion to abandon three offshore wind projects off New York, California, and Louisiana, citing no viable permitting path. RWE will redirect funds into natural gas ventures, including a Louisiana LNG export project. This is the fifth such settlement, totaling nearly $4 billion in taxpayer money to cancel wind leases. Critics decry the deals as politically motivated subsidies for fossil fuels, while the administration frames them as prioritizing reliable energy over intermittent wind power.
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US Declared Energy Emergency, Then Paid $4 Billion to Cancel Offshore Wind Projects
The Trump administration has committed nearly $4 billion in taxpayer money to pay energy companies to cancel planned offshore wind projects, despite having declared a national energy emergency. The latest settlement, on August 6, 2026, paid German utility RWE $1.22 billion to surrender three federal offshore wind leases off New York, California, and Louisiana, representing up to 6 gigawatts of potential electricity generation. The deal requires RWE to invest $900 million in a Louisiana LNG export project and $300 million in gas turbines. This is the fifth such settlement in six months, with previous payments to TotalEnergies, Golden State Wind, Bluepoint Wind, Invenergy, and Duke Energy totaling nearly $4 billion. Critics call the arrangement an 'enormous money pump' benefiting fossil fuel interests, while the administration argues it prioritizes reliable, dispatchable power over intermittent wind energy.
Trump Administration Pays $1.2 Billion to Cancel Offshore Wind Projects, Calls It 'Common Sense'
The Trump administration has paid German energy company RWE $1.2 billion to cancel three early-stage offshore wind projects in New York, Louisiana, and California. RWE will invest the same amount in natural gas projects. This is the latest in a series of payouts by the administration to wind developers, following a similar $1 billion deal with TotalEnergies in March. The administration has also halted wind project approvals on private lands via the Pentagon, citing national security, though a federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction to resume reviews. Critics argue the moves are politically motivated, while the administration frames them as ending costly subsidies. The article notes that Trump has long opposed offshore wind and has used executive actions and financial incentives to stall development.
Trump Administration Pays $1.2 Billion to Cancel Offshore Wind Projects, Citing 'Common Sense'
The Trump administration has paid German energy company RWE $1.2 billion to cancel three early-stage offshore wind projects in New York, Louisiana, and California. RWE will invest the same amount in natural gas projects. The administration, through Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, framed the deal as 'common sense' energy policy, but RWE stated there was 'no path forward to permit these projects in the U.S. for the foreseeable future.' This is the fifth such agreement, following a similar $1 billion deal with TotalEnergies in March. Additionally, the Pentagon has halted approvals for 106 inland wind projects since April, citing national security, though a federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction requiring reviews to resume. The article notes Trump's long-standing opposition to offshore wind and compares his tactics to Biden's approach to fossil fuels.
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Trump Administration Pays $1.2 Billion to Cancel Offshore Wind Projects, Citing 'Common Sense'
The Trump administration has agreed to pay German energy company RWE $1.2 billion to cancel three early-stage offshore wind projects in New York, Louisiana, and California. RWE will invest the equivalent amount in natural gas projects. This is the fifth such agreement, following a near $1 billion deal with TotalEnergies in March. The administration has also halted approvals for wind projects on private lands through a Pentagon order, freezing 106 projects worth $47 billion in potential investment. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction requiring the Pentagon to resume reviews. The administration frames these actions as energy pragmatism, while critics note the lack of permitting certainty for wind developers under current policies.
Trump Administration Pays RWE $1.22 Billion to Halt US Offshore Wind Projects
The Trump administration has paid German energy giant RWE approximately $1.06 billion (€1 billion) in compensation to abandon its offshore wind power projects off the coasts of New York, California, and Louisiana. RWE, which had invested over $1 billion in planning, concluded the projects were unlikely to gain approval in the foreseeable future. The settlement, reached with the US Department of the Interior, involves RWE waiving claims and returning lease rights. Instead, RWE plans to invest millions in liquefied natural gas and other gas ventures in the US. President Trump, a vocal opponent of wind power who favors coal, has called wind energy a 'green scam.' Interior Secretary Doug Burgum welcomed the agreement, stating it supports affordable electricity and reliable baseload supply, and noted offshore wind's dependence on foreign supply chains.