The year is 1988, and the United States is on the cusp of a renewable energy revolution. Lithium batteries, electric motors, and photovoltaic solar panels were invented in the country; 85 percent of the world’s solar market was based here. And there was bipartisan political will to begin prioritizing non–fossil fuel energy sources. “Those who think we are powerless to do anything about the greenhouse effect forget about the ‘White House effect,’” George H.W. Bush said in a campaign speech after