Rep. Moore talks reduced tax credits effect with energy advocates
TL/DR –
U.S. Representative Blake Moore is basing his campaign largely on his role in passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) during the Trump administration, which made tax cuts permanent and created investment accounts for young Americans. However, renewable energy advocates criticize the legislation for reducing Green New Deal tax incentives and imposing strict foreign ownership and sourcing requirements on new clean energy projects. Moore has pledged to protect Utah renewable energy projects on a case-by-case basis despite the impact of the OBBBA.
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Rep. Blake Moore’s Role in Tax Legislation Sparks Renewable Energy Debate
U.S. Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT) is tackling a fresh wave of criticism concerning his involvement in assisting the Trump administration to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). The act, pivotal to Moore’s reelection campaign, has made the Trump tax cuts of 2017 permanent and initiated investment accounts targeting younger American citizens.
However, some critics, particularly advocates for renewable energy, argue that the OBBBA has also reduced tax incentives established under the Green New Deal in the Biden era. This criticism arose during a meeting with Moore in Tremonton on April 24, following an inspection tour of a Steel Solar farm in Plymouth.
The Controversial Impact of OBBBA on Renewable Energy
Located in Plymouth, the 800-acre Steel Solar farm is owned by D.E. Shaw Renewable Investments (DESRI), a leading renewable energy company in the United States. DESRI has been involved in the development, ownership, and operation of utility-scale solar, wind, and battery storage projects since 2010. The company has a diversified portfolio across 22 states that generates more than 1.1 gigawatts of power, serving nearly 2 million homes.
According to Liz Peyton, an executive at DESRI, the Steel Solar facility is representative of the company’s typical plants. It generates around 80 megawatts of power, distributed via the Utah Association of Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS), and is expected to operate for 30 to 40 years.
However, the controversy arises with the OBBBA’s impact on renewable energy projects. The Tax Foundation, a non-partisan, non-profit organization, states that the act has effectively retracted key tax incentives upon which clean energy projects have depended since the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
Under OBBBA, tax credits for wind and solar projects expire much sooner, only applicable to projects completed by the end of 2027 or that begin construction by July 2026. The act also imposes strict foreign ownership and sourcing requirements on new clean energy projects to qualify for tax credits. Particularly, the OBBBA disallows credits for projects owned or controlled by foreign entities, with an emphasis on the Chinese government.
Peyton noted that approximately half of the components in the Steel Solar array were manufactured in the U.S. to comply with these new regulations.
While enforcing stricter rules on wind and solar initiatives, OBBBA still mostly upholds tax credits for alternative clean energy technologies, such as battery storage and carbon capture, into the next decade.
Industry Advocates Express Concern
In a roundtable discussion in Tremonton, several participants, including renewable energy industry advocates, expressed their discontent to Moore. They argued that OBBBA seems to weaponize the U.S. Department of the Interior against clean energy, especially wind-powered projects.
Moore did not attempt to downplay the impact of OBBBA but assured his commitment to supporting Utah renewable energy projects on a case-by-case basis.
Other attendees at the roundtable discussion included Liesl Limburg and Sherry Stevens from the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, Rhonda Perkes from the Utah Association of Municipal Power Systems, representatives from Utah Clean Energy, the Rural Development office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Utah Association of Counties, the Box Elder County Commission, Brigham City, rPLUS Energies, and Enyo Renewable Energy.
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