The day before, US President Donald Trump объявил The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s decision to repeal the Obama-era regulation recognizing greenhouse gases as a direct threat to public health. This eliminated the legal basis for regulating carbon dioxide emissions under the Clean Air Act. The primary goal of the repeal was to lift any bans on internal combustion engine vehicles, but renewable energy will also suffer.
By repealing the regulation, the US Environmental Protection Agency effectively deprived itself of the legal basis to regulate carbon dioxide emissions as a pollutant under the Clean Air Act. This law had been used for nearly two decades to control CO2 emissions and provide federal support for the transition to clean energy.
The main target of the reversal was the revision of vehicle emissions standards, but it will have direct implications for solar power and energy storage systems.
The Trump administration has already taken steps to cut clean energy funding, including $7 billion under the "Sunshine for All" program. The decision to recognize greenhouse gases as safe for health will also invalidate several provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), particularly those related to "pollution abatement" grants. For example, it will now be difficult to challenge in court decisions to extend the operation of coal-fired power plants, which were previously believed to kill tens of thousands of people annually.
If greenhouse gases are no longer considered a public health threat, opponents of solar subsidies will be able to argue that the Environmental Protection Agency lacks the authority to prioritize low-carbon energy sources over fossil fuels. EPA officials themselves argue that the 2009 decision was a "legal fiction" and that major changes in economic and energy policy should come from Congress.
The solar energy industry has already faced a number of legislative and policy changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which shortened the deadline for tax incentives. Wind and solar power plants must now be commissioned by July 5, 2026, to be eligible for incentives under Sections 45Y and 48E.
Environmental groups led by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) have vowed to challenge the repeal in court. EDF President Fred Krupp stated that the decision "endangers us all" and ignores the innovations generated by clean energy standards. Industry experts warn that the move could increase policy uncertainty, which in turn will lead to a decline in private investment.
The Justice Department is expected to face lawsuits from environmental groups and state attorneys general. The solar energy market in the US is currently going through a difficult period as the administration shifts its focus to fossil fuel industries.
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Source: 3dnews.ru
