The Future of Energy Has Arrived — Just Not in the U.S.

Summary of The Future of Energy Has Arrived — Just Not in the U.S.

by The New York Times

35m•November 18, 2025
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Overview of The Daily — "The Future of Energy Has Arrived — Just Not in the U.S."

This episode of The Daily (host Rachel Abrams) examines a growing global energy and geopolitical shift: while the United States' federal government has moved to expand fossil-fuel production and pull back from international climate leadership, China is rapidly becoming the dominant supplier and exporter of renewable-energy technologies. Reporters David Gelles and Brad Plumer report from COP in Belém, Brazil, and explain how this divergence is playing out at the conference, in global markets, and in long-term strategic influence.

Episode structure and speakers

  • Host: Rachel Abrams
  • Main reporters/guests:
    • David Gelles — on-the-ground reporting from COP (Belém, Brazil)
    • Brad Plumer — explanation of U.S. domestic energy policy and implications
  • Additional segments: short plugs/ads and newsroom notices (Capital One, Alexa, NYT newsletter, etc.)

Key takeaways

  • China is positioning itself as the global leader in clean-energy technology (production, export, infrastructure) while the U.S. federal government has pulled back from climate leadership.
  • At COP in Belém, the United States had no official federal delegation; China’s presence and pavilion dominated the conference space and attracted large crowds.
  • China leads in manufacturing and exporting solar panels, batteries, electric vehicles (EVs), and high-voltage transmission technology — giving it both economic advantage and growing geopolitical influence.
  • The Trump administration’s energy policy favors expanding oil and gas production, rolling back renewable incentives and regulations, and prioritizing industries like AI powered by always-on energy sources (natural gas, nuclear).
  • This policy divergence risks ceding future manufacturing, jobs, and market share in rapidly growing clean-energy industries to China — and could be difficult to reverse.

What happened at COP (Belém) — David Gelles’ reporting

  • Logistics: COP in Belém faced infrastructure challenges (limited hotel rooms, cruise ships used for housing, convention-tent leaks, traffic).
  • U.S. absence: For the first time in decades the federal government sent no official delegates, meaning the U.S. did not shape negotiations or network in official capacities.
  • China’s prominence: China had a large, centrally located pavilion drawing long lines. Its messaging and tech (solar, wind, batteries, transmission, EVs) were in high demand among other countries seeking affordable, scalable solutions.
  • On-the-ground examples: Many Ubers in Belém were BYD EVs (BYD = “Build Your Dreams”), illustrating rapid global EV penetration from China.

The technologies and projects highlighted

  • Solar panels: China manufactures and exports the vast majority of the world’s solar panels; Chinese panels are now among the cheapest energy sources.
  • Wind power: Large-scale domestic build-out and export assistance for other countries.
  • Batteries: China far outpaces U.S. battery exports and domestic manufacturing capacity.
  • Transmission: China builds ultra-high-voltage transmission lines (examples: multi-thousand-mile projects in Brazil; >40 such domestic lines), enabling long-distance grid integration.
  • Electric vehicles: Chinese EV makers (e.g., BYD) export at scale and are cost-competitive globally.

Hard numbers the episode cites

  • Battery exports (approximate, from episode):
    • U.S.: ~$3 billion
    • China: ~$65 billion
  • Solar panel exports:
    • U.S.: ~$69 million
    • China: ~$40 billion
  • Electric vehicle exports:
    • U.S. (mostly Tesla): ~$12 billion
    • China: ~$38 billion (These figures illustrate the current scale gap in clean-tech exports.)

U.S. energy policy and rationale — Brad Plumer’s analysis

  • Trump administration actions described:
    • Expanding oil and gas production (opening lands for drilling, rolling back regulations).
    • Cutting or canceling funding and support for many wind/solar projects and climate programs.
    • Blocking or slowing offshore wind and some federal land projects.
    • Withdrawing the U.S. from international climate commitments (the episode notes the U.S. exit from the Paris Agreement).
  • Strategic priorities:
    • The administration views AI as a primary economic/strategic priority and favors “always-on” power (natural gas, nuclear) for energy-hungry data centers backing AI development.
    • Officials have suggested they are willing to prioritize winning the AI race over competing in every clean-energy industry.
  • Political drivers:
    • Fossil-fuel industry influence (lobbying, campaign support) and the president’s long-standing skepticism and criticisms of wind/solar factor into policy choices.

Geopolitical and economic implications

  • Soft power: China’s export of clean-energy infrastructure builds political leverage and influence in developing countries (in some places filling gaps left by reduced U.S. aid/engagement).
  • Industrial policy: China’s long-term investments (dating back ~20 years) have enabled scale economies that now make it hard for other countries to re-establish domestic manufacturing leadership.
  • Job and manufacturing risks: If the U.S. doesn’t participate in the renewables and EV industrial base, it risks losing manufacturing jobs and entire market segments to China — potentially difficult to regain later.
  • Some foreign delegates welcomed the U.S. absence because it avoided U.S. obstructionism in negotiations; that vacuum accelerated China’s soft-power gains.

Notable quotes / soundbites

  • “China was the center of attention.” — David Gelles, describing COP pavilion dynamics.
  • “Solar power, Chinese solar panels, are literally the cheapest form of energy we have ever had on Earth.” — paraphrase from the episode describing cost declines.
  • BYD acronym explained: “Build Your Dreams” — demonstrating Chinese brand presence in global EVs.

What to watch next / implications for listeners and policymakers

  • Election and policy changes: A future administration could reverse course, but reestablishing domestic manufacturing is likely difficult and would take years amid China’s head start.
  • Market indicators: watch global investment flows, factory announcements, and export figures for batteries, solar, and EVs.
  • COP outcomes and international agreements: monitor whether deals forged without U.S. buy-in become de facto global standards and markets.
  • Tech-energy link: follow how AI/data-center expansion shapes U.S. energy choices and whether hybrid strategies (renewables + firm power) gain traction.

Final assessment

The episode frames a clear strategic divergence: China has turned massive industrial scale and long-term industrial policy into immediate geopolitical influence through clean-energy exports and infrastructure. The current U.S. federal posture favors fossil fuels and other priorities (notably AI), creating both short-term economic benefits (cheap domestic gas, energy for data centers) and long-term strategic risks (ceding emerging clean-tech industries and influence). The outcome matters for jobs, national competitiveness, and global efforts to cut emissions.