GOP tax bill could curtail renewable energy surge
By Brad Plumer and Jim Tankersley, New York Times
WASHINGTON — The Republican tax bills moving through Congress could significantly hobble the United States’ renewable energy industry because of a series of provisions that scale back incentives for wind and solar power while bolstering older energy sources like oil and gas production.
The possibility highlights the degree to which the nation’s recent surge in renewable electricity generation is still sustained by favorable tax treatment, which has lowered the cost of solar and wind production while provoking the ire of fossil-fuel competitors seeking to weaken those tax preferences.
Whether lawmakers choose to protect or jettison various renewable tax breaks in the final bill being negotiated on Capitol Hill could have major ramifications for the U.S. energy landscape, including the prices consumers pay for electricity.
Tariffs should be imposed on anything imported into this country, period! Solar panels should be produced here in America anyways. Tax credits should be incentives for the people to save their own money for their own expenses, like health saving accounts, not given to the banks. People should act now, and get the incentives for solar, they have been saying they were only giving out just so many incentives anyways and they have been made available to the public. The early consumers who invest in solar or wind for their homes should be rewarded by the incentives. Costs of products will come down eventually just like 3D printers have. Eventually fossil fuel will be phased out regardless. It is inevitable. Companies should be able to stand on their own and get their own investors, just like all start up companies do. That was the American way. Extreme regulations in California have caused more harm than good for the economy and the environment. The CA air resources board on transportation and emissions has not been able to curtail all the damage from the CA fires, and now it has effected housing and the work force. Hows it all working for you Gov. Brown?