China’s Push for Renewable Energy is Good for the Planet, but Maybe Not for the U.S.

At Davos, Donald Trump claimed that China doesn’t use wind energy, or in his words, “windmills.” He could not be more wrong. In 2024, China accounted for 40% of the globe’s wind energy generation and in 2025, over a quarter of China’s energy came from wind and solar power. As the U.S. reverts to coal, gas and oil for its energy needs, China is emerging as the world leader in renewables. We talk about whether the U.S. will be left irrevocably behind by Trump’s energy policy and what it all means for California’s renewable energy industry. Guests: Jeremy Wallace, professor of China Studies, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS); author, "China Lab" newsletter; author of recent WIRED article, "China’s Renewable Energy Revolution Is a Huge Mess That Might Save the World" Mark Jacobson, professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University; author, "Still No Miracles Needed: How Today's Technology Can Save Our Climate and Clean Our Air" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices