Jay Turner
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jayturner.bsky.social
Jay Turner
@jayturner.bsky.social
9.2K followers 1.1K following 590 posts
Environmental Studies Professor at Wellesley College. Author of Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future (2022). Tracking and analyzing clean energy supply chains at https://www.the-big-green-machine.com
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jayturner.bsky.social
At The Big Green Machine, my @wellesley.edu students and I are tracking more than 600 clean energy manufacturing projects in North America.

Check out our interactive dashboard and access our full dataset. Let us know what is missing, wrong, or needs updating. 🔌💡

www.the-big-green-machine.com
Screen shot of main dashboard from The Big Green Machine landing page, showing investments in clean energy manufacturing and supply chains in US, Canada, and Mexico.
January 21, 2026 at 3:59 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
If we narrow the analysis to focus only on projects that have been paused, canceled, or closed (excluding delays and reductions in size) over the past year, the lost investments (-$46.7B) far exceed newly announced investments (+$16.1B) during that time period. 🔌💡
Chart plotting when clean energy manufacturing projects were announced and, for those that have been canceled, paused, or closed, when the disinvestment occurred (this chart excludes projects have just been delayed or reduced in size). It shows a big boom in project announcements during Biden administration and surge of disinvestment since Trump took office.
January 21, 2026 at 3:59 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
In year one, Trump’s policies have SLOWED - closed, delayed, etc. - 70 clean energy manufacturing projects worth $74B and 68,958 jobs.

109 projects have still ADVANCED - moving toward construction or operation - worth $61B and 61,107 jobs.

www.the-big-green-machine.com/post-trump-s...

🔌💡
Infographic showing clean energy manufacturing projects in the US that have advanced (announced, advanced toward production, received major grant, or been expanded in size) compared to those that have slowed (delayed, cancelled, paused, reduced in size, or loss of major grant/funding).
January 21, 2026 at 3:59 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
At The Big Green Machine, my @wellesley.edu students and I are tracking more than 600 clean energy manufacturing projects in North America.

Check out our interactive dashboard and access our full dataset. Let us know what is missing, wrong, or needs updating. 🔌💡

www.the-big-green-machine.com
Screen shot of main dashboard from The Big Green Machine landing page, showing investments in clean energy manufacturing and supply chains in US, Canada, and Mexico.
December 23, 2025 at 6:06 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
What has advanced in the past month?

Graphite One projects in AK and OH
Ford’s new plans for BESS in KY
LS Greenlink Expansion in VA
Silicon Ridge rare earth mine in UT
Empire States graphite mine in NY
and more…

See the details in our dataset.

docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
December 23, 2025 at 6:06 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
Our tracking shows advances in clean energy manufacturing projects last month, including three mining projects.

We are now tracking 108 projects, $60.8B in investment, and 60,017 jobs that have been announced, moved into construction, or started operations since Trump took office.

🔌💡
Chart plotting when clean energy manufacturing projects were announced and, for those that have been canceled, paused, or closed, when the disinvestment occurred (this chart excludes projects have just been delayed or reduced in size). It shows a big boom in project announcements during Biden administration and surge of disinvestment since Trump took office.
December 23, 2025 at 6:06 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
What slowed in the past month?

BlueOval in KY
Ford plans for EVs in TN
GAF roof shingle factory in CA
US Solar Glass

See the details in our dataset.

docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
December 23, 2025 at 6:06 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
Trump + 11 months: Investments in US clean energy manufacturing were hit hard last month.

We are now tracking 69 projects, $70.5B in investment, and 66,758 jobs that have been delayed, shrunk, paused, or cancelled since Trump took office.

www.the-big-green-machine.com/post-trump-s...

🔌💡
Infographic showing clean energy manufacturing projects in the US that have advanced (announced, advanced toward production, received major grant, or been expanded in size) compared to those that have slowed (delayed, cancelled, paused, reduced in size, or loss of major grant/funding).
December 23, 2025 at 6:06 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
But this issue isn't new. Industry has struggled to manage the risks of lead recycling since the early 20th c, when Alice Hamilton first helped spotlight the issue.

See the first chapter of my book, Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future.

www.charged-the-book.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:04 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 2:04 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 2:04 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 2:04 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 2:04 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
In the US, the lead-acid battery industry, led by @batterycouncil.bsky.social (founded in 1924) has been championing the industry as the model for recycling and re-use lead-acid batteries since the 1990s.

Here is what you'll see on their website:

batterycouncil.org/battery-fact...
November 25, 2025 at 2:04 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
At The Big Green Machine, my @wellesley.edu students and I are tracking more than 600 clean energy manufacturing projects in North America.

Let us know what we are missing, what we’ve got wrong, and what needs updating. 🔌💡

Access our dataset and dashboard here:

www.the-big-green-machine.com
Screen shot of main dashboard from The Big Green Machine landing page, showing investments in clean energy manufacturing and supply chains in US, Canada, and Mexico.
November 24, 2025 at 6:47 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
While it is good news that previously announced projects continue to advance, when we narrow the scope of analysis to newly announced projects by quarter versus canceled, paused, or closed projects by quarter, the Trump bust continues — the pipeline of new projects is getting smaller.
Chart plotting when clean energy manufacturing projects were announced and, for those that have been canceled, paused, or closed, when the disinvestment occurred (this chart excludes projects have just been delayed or reduced in size). It shows a big boom in project announcements during Biden administration and surge of disinvestment since Trump took office.
November 24, 2025 at 6:47 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
What has advanced in the past month?

Toyota batteries in North Carolina. 🔋
Redwood Materials in South Carolina. ♻️
Rivian Supplier Park in Illinois. 🛻
Vulcan Rare Earth Facility in North Carolina. ♻️
First Solar in South Carolina. 🔆

Details in our dataset:

docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
November 24, 2025 at 6:47 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
Our tracking also shows a big jump in clean energy manufacturing projects that advanced last month.

We are now tracking 99 projects, $57.4B in investment, and 58,982 jobs that have started construction, begun operations, or been newly announced since Trump took office.
November 24, 2025 at 6:47 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
What slowed in the past month?

GM-SDI in Indiana. 🔋
Exxon Lithium in Arkansas. ⛏️
Ultium in Tennessee. 🔋
Ultium in Ohio. 🔋
GM Factory Zero in Michigan. 🚗
Ford River Rouge in Michigan. 🚗
Gotion in Michigan.🔋

See the full details in our dataset:

docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
November 24, 2025 at 6:47 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
US clean energy manufacturing investments slowed again last month.

We are now tracking 64 projects, $66.8B in investment, and 66,488 jobs at The Big Green Machine that have been delayed, shrunk, paused, or cancelled since Trump took office.

www.the-big-green-machine.com/post-trump-s...

🔌💡
Infographic from The Big Green Machine showing clean energy manufacturing investments that have advanced and slowed since Trump 47 took office.
November 24, 2025 at 6:47 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
In the conclusion of my book Charged, I take up that general question - what would happen if some other battery chemistry - and, like you say, maybe sodium-ion - replaced lead-acid batteries. What would happen to all the lead circulating through the built environment that we cannot leave behind?
November 18, 2025 at 5:31 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
Right. A sharp reminder that “highly recycled” and “green” aren’t necessarily the same thing. Here is how I put it in my book.
November 18, 2025 at 4:21 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
There is much to be learned from the global trade in lead-acid batteries as we look toward a future powered by more and more batteries.

This is a key point of my book, Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future, which follows that story from lead-acid to li-ion batteries.
November 18, 2025 at 2:48 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
This is a really helpful report that explains what Community Benefits Agreements are and how they give communities leverage in negotiations around energy transition projects. Worth reading for the insights, four well-researched case studies, and excellent use of Storymaps!
October 21, 2025 at 8:34 PM
jayturner.bsky.social
My @wellesley.edu students and I are tracking more than 600 clean energy manufacturing projects in North America at The Big Green Machine.

Check out our interactive dashboard and let us know what we are missing, what we’ve got wrong, and what needs updating. 🔌💡
October 21, 2025 at 5:47 PM