When it comes to renewable energy sources, this second Trump administration is downright hostile. And yet, more of them are being built — and in some cases, faster than before.

Fewer solar developers are reporting delays in bringing their projects online, according to the Energy Information Administration. Just 20% of planned solar capacity is behind schedule. That’s down from 25% this time last year.

Developing a large solar project is usually something of a marathon. It takes years of financing, contracting landowners, getting environmental permits. But all of that has turned into a sprint, said David Victor, an energy policy researcher at UC San Diego. 

“Everyone's racing to get physical construction of projects underway by July of next summer,” Victor said.

July 4th, to be exact. Because that is the deadline, set by President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, after which projects won’t be able to get federal tax credits. Some states have been helping solar developers beat the deadline, said Leah Stokes, a political scientist at UC Santa Barbara.

“For example, in Oregon, the Democratic governor Tina Kotek is saying, ‘Hey, we're gonna remove as much permitting red tape as possible so that we can build solar fast,’” Stokes said. 

Reagan Farr, the CEO of Silicon Ranch, a solar power provider based in Tennessee, predicts an upcoming rush.

“You’re gonna see a tremendous amount of pull forward of projects for the next nine months,” Farr said.

However, one challenge he faces in pulling projects forward is that everyone else is doing the same.

“[Right now, there’s] a very tight market for hiring these construction firms that can get out there and mobilize on the timeline that you need,” Farr said.

There’s competition for equipment too. Farr said he was recently at a ribbon cutting for a new transformer factory with a bunch of other power company execs on hand.

“And they were all there to show support for this transformer manufacturer, but also to help secure slots,” Farr said. “Because we, they all need to get their equipment ordered and begun construction. So, we’re all trying to do the same thing. The deadlines are unambiguous.”

But even when the race to July 4th ends, Sarah Mills, an energy researcher at the University of Michigan, still expects plenty more solar projects. 

“There are a number of states that have requirements that the utilities increase the amount of power that they're getting from renewables,” Mills said.

And even where that’s not the case, renewables aren’t likely to disappear.

“In most parts of the country, renewables are the cheapest form of new electricity. So we will still see renewables in the future,” Mills said.

With or without tax credits.