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Clean Energy’s New Cold War: Can the U.S. Compete With China?

Is clean energy the new arms race? As China pulls ahead in green tech, Milo McBride explores how the U.S. can respond—and what’s at stake geopolitically—in this Carnegie Explainer.

by Milo McBride
Published on May 29, 2025

What if the race to clean energy wasn’t just about saving the planet—but about shaping the geopolitical architecture of tomorrow?

Over a decade ago, U.S. leaders warned of a “new Sputnik moment.” Today, China leads the world in solar, wind, EV batteries, and more—leaving the U.S. racing to catch up. In this #CarnegieExplains, Fellow Milo McBride explores how China’s dominance in clean tech might reshape geopolitics—and how the U.S. could still leap ahead.

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.