Trump’s domestic policy act throws a wet blanket on clean energy

By The Star Staff

The “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act signed into law last Friday poses significant threats to renewable energy, as indicated by the bill’s provisions and statements made by its supporters, including in Puerto Rico.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act was passed by Congress following a dramatic 218-214 vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on July 3, marking a major legislative victory for President Donald Trump’s second-term domestic agenda. President Trump signed the legislation into law on the afternoon of July 4.

The legislation includes language to phase out tax credits for wind and solar projects brought into service after 2027, with an exemption for projects that start construction within 12 months of the bill’s passage.

While the one-year window for new wind and solar projects to qualify for tax credits is better than initially proposed cuts, those projects may face increased scrutiny from the executive branch.

In an interview with CNBC, Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) expressed his opposition to the bill in its original form but said President Trump promised to use his executive powers to limit access to subsidies for clean energy, electric vehicles, and other programs to secure support from reluctant lawmakers.

“President Trump is going to use his powers to, like on the subsidies, a lot of these subsidies won’t remain in effect from here on out,” Norman said.

Norman expects the Trump administration to follow through on those commitments, with strict scrutiny on projects attempting to qualify for wind and solar credits by starting construction within the next 12 months. He stated that President Trump will ensure companies applying for solar credits, for example, will do what they say and have indeed started construction when they claim to have done so.