Thu Jul 03 10:00:00 UTC 2025: **Clean Energy Sector Braces for Impact as GOP Tax Bill Advances**

By ALLEN BREED and JULIÁN TREJO BAX
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The clean energy industry is bracing for significant setbacks as a Republican-backed tax and spending cut bill advances through Congress. The bill, championed by President Trump, aims to dismantle key clean energy incentives, raising concerns about job losses and stalled growth in the sector.

The proposed legislation slashes a 30% tax credit for rooftop residential solar, a provision previously extended into the next decade by the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. Industry leaders warn that this move, along with other cuts impacting utility-scale solar and wind projects, will reverse recent clean energy advancements.

Will Etheridge, CEO of Southern Energy Management in North Carolina, has already warned his employees about potential layoffs, estimating that 50-55 jobs could be lost at his company alone. He criticized the elimination of residential tax credits as a “bait and switch,” having invested heavily in his business based on the perceived stability of these incentives.

While the Senate version of the bill offers some reprieve for utility-scale projects, the impact on residential solar businesses remains severe. Karl Stupka, president of NC Solar Now, lamented the shift, stating that the bill favors larger businesses while harming average Americans seeking to invest in solar energy. He anticipates laying off half of his workforce if the bill becomes law.

The bill also appears to have political fallout with one Republican Senator, Thom Tillis, deciding not to run for re-election after voting against the measure following criticism from Trump.

Proponents of the bill argue that clean energy companies should not rely on federal subsidies and that market forces should dictate their viability. Adam Michel of the Cato Institute believes that affected workers will find “better and more stable jobs” in other industries.

However, critics contend that the cuts will stifle innovation and investment in clean energy, leading to job losses and hindering progress towards a sustainable energy future. Even before the bill’s passage, $14 billion in clean energy investments had already been postponed or cancelled this year, according to E2, a business advocacy group.

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