Despite consistent rhetoric which has shown both a hostility to and an utter lack of understanding of renewable energy, many both inside and outside the solar industry have questioned whether U.S. President Trump intends to take action against solar and wind.
Attempts to cut the main policies that support solar and wind deployment, the federal Investment Tax Credit and Production Tax Credit, have not surfaced. However, recently leaked information on the Trump Administration’s budget proposal for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) shows a willingness to axe federal support, including research and development.
According to a 2018 budget draft published by energy reporter Amy Harder, the president has proposed cutting fiscal year 2018 funding for the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) to only $636 million, a 69% reduction from the $2.1 billion it is enjoying during the current fiscal year.
This would include a 70% cut in funding for renewable energy programs to only $134 million. And while the president is proposing cuts to DOE across the board, he is only proposing a 31% cut to nuclear energy programs and a 54% cut to fossil fuel funding at DOE.
Such cuts are in sharp contrast to the FY 2017 budget deal reached by the U.S. congress at the end of April, which ended in only minor cuts to EERE and solar spending, and actually increased funding for a number of key areas such as battery research.
Despite this loss, the Trump Administration appears as ready as ever to take the ax to federal funding for renewable energy, and has stated that it will send its proposal for FY 2018 spending to congress next week.
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What a dick.
There is no future in renewables in their present format – complete waste of money and resources that actually adds to CO2 emissions contrary to popular belief.
That is an unusual perspective. What is your supporting evidence for this bizarre claim?
This is maybe the most baseless ill informed statement I’ve heard about renewables yet.
Amazing!! I don’t understand the rationale to cut funding to a domestic industry that is creating growth to both big and small business in the US economy.
This is very hard to comprehend! The continual growth of the solar industry in the US is proof positive that American jobs are being created and sustained.
Gotta save $$ to support those poor coal miners… What an idiot. Repeel the orange!