Dr. Randi Pokladnik
Photo Copyright: CC BY Candice Nyando.
Federal Attack on Renewable Energy
During the past six months, the Trump administration has mounted a blatant attack on renewable energy by rolling back environmental laws and policies favoring renewables, cancelling incentives enacted in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, and halting projects even when in construction.
Lee Zeldon, Trump’s pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency, said in March of this year, “We are driving a dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion to drive down cost of living for American families, unleash American energy, bring auto jobs back to the U.S. and more.” It’s no secret that this administration does not believe in the science behind climate change. Trump called it “a make-believe problem.”
We can see the devastating effects of climate change today, with much worse conditions to come if we don’t reduce our CO2 and methane emissions. We cannot go back to the 1900s when fossil fuels were our only choice for energy.
In January, the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecast that electricity demand for global data centers will more than double from 2022 to 2026, with AI playing a major role in that increase. Energy needs for artificial intelligence and data centers are surging. Rather than support the expansion of clean renewable energy generation to meet these energy needs, the US is moving away from clean and profitable renewables to subsidize the outdated energy sources responsible for climate change.
The Inflation Reduction Act
Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) has ended tax credits and subsidies for renewables while easing regulations for fossil fuels. Most of the tax breaks in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act were used to help American citizens adopt energy efficiency measures and purchase renewable energy.
The Inflation Reduction Act would have allowed citizens to take advantage of rebates and tax credits for the following energy saving programs through 2032: geothermal and electric heat pumps, solar panel systems, home energy audits, energy efficient appliances, electric vehicles, weatherization, and updated electric panels. With the passage of the OBBB, most of these programs will end by December 2025.
Without any real peer-reviewed scientific evidence to back up his claims, Trump continues to push his anti-renewable narrative including his irrational fear and hate for anything connected to wind turbines and solar panels. This mentality will result in the loss of economic benefits to rural communities; it will put American citizens out of work; it will increase our electric bills, and it will endanger the health and welfare of our communities.
Solar is quick, safe, local, inexpensive and growing fast.
Unlike gas-powered power plants, which take years to build and continue to be more costly, wind and solar energy projects can be constructed in months and are easier to install. A report released by Lizard, a global financial service firm, said “renewables remained the cheapest and most efficient option, even without the need for government subsidies.”
The U.S. Energy Association has said, “Wind and solar power are two of the fastest-growing energy sectors in the U.S. and produced as much as 17% of the country’s electricity last year.” But Trump said his administration will not approve solar or wind power projects, even as electricity demand is outpacing the supply in some parts of the U.S.
Some Ohio solar projects have been approved and will help local communities’ economies. My county, Harrison, will be getting a 100MW solar array on a reclaimed coal mining site. Nottingham Solar will provide Harrison county with $700,000 to $900,000 annually to go to schools, libraries, and a senior citizen center.
On June 26, 2025, the Ohio Power Siting Board approved the 120-megawatt Frasier Solar project, located in Knox County, Ohio. Knox County voted unanimously in 2023 to accept a payment arrangement instead of property taxes, which will add more than $40 million for local governments over the project’s 40-year useful life.
On August 21, 2025, the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) approved the 220-megawatt Eastern Cottontail Solar project, located in Walnut Township, Fairfield County. Over its lifetime, the project will generate $80 million in tax revenues for schools, police, and fire departments, and will also employ agrivoltaics techniques. The applications for these projects were started before solar bans were voted on.
OBBB will cost jobs, increase energy prices, and leave us with polluted air and water.
The think tank Energy Innovation said, “the OBBB will cost Ohio over 32,000 jobs in 2030, and nearly 38,000 jobs in 2035.” These are good paying jobs which include engineers, solar panel installers, and electricians. Ohio leads the nation in solar manufacturing with companies like First Solar and Ohio employs over 8,000 workers in the industry.
The impact of the OBBB is going to be felt by Ohio communities in the form of lost tax revenues and increased power bills. Energy Innovations estimates that overall, the nation will lose over 760,000 renewable jobs and lose $980 billion from America’s GDP by 2030.
Research suggests that the OBBB would also increase Ohio’s household energy spending by an average of nearly $180 per year in 2030 and nearly $410 per year in 2035. The Trump administration cancelled $156 million in grants for low-income Ohioans to buy solar panels in a program called “Solar for all.”
The Trump administration’s foolish decision to push fossil fuel energy sources and end funding for renewable energy projects will impact all of us. The OBBB will cut incentives for things like air pollution monitoring, cleaning up ports, home energy efficiency upgrades, and emissions-free school buses.
“Fossil fuel emissions include planet-warming carbon dioxide, as well as cancer and asthma inducing particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur oxides. In just five years, these harmful emissions could increase by 160 million metric tons.” This means more air pollution for frontline communities, more health effects, and more health care costs.
Lisa Garvin, Editorial Board Member of “Today in Ohio” said, “We have data centers and big energy sucking facilities being built in Ohio. We can’t drill and frack our way to power these. We need renewable energy.”
Photo Copyright: CC BY Candice Nyando.