Fossil Fuel Infrastructure in the US at a Ten-Year Peak

A new report published by the Environmental Defense Fund and Atlas Public Policy revealed that fossil fuel infrastructure projects in the US have reached their highest level in the past decade. As electricity demand grows rapidly driven by data centers, factories, and electric vehicles, renewable energy growth shows a tendency to slow down.

According to the report published as a joint effort by the Environmental Defense Fund and Atlas Public Policy, the US energy outlook is undergoing a shift. While planned new fossil fuel infrastructure projects accounted for 5 percent of total capacity in 2024, this rate rose to 30 percent in the second quarter of 2026. If the trend continues, it is projected that fossil fuels could constitute 70 percent of the development pipeline by the end of the decade, and planned fossil capacity could reach 68 gigawatts by 2030. This figure indicates a 45 percent increase compared to construction plans from six months prior.