Policy Briefs

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) ushers in a new era of energy policy, where both parties have a vision for a clean energy future. The conservative vision centers domestic supply chains, baseload energy and investment in nascent technology. Our new brief explores how advocates and policymakers can navigate this new landscape.

The Big Beautiful Bill opened the door for EPA Administrator Zeldin to re-align $7 billion in existing contracts with Trump Administration priorities while cutting electricity bills for a million American families. On July Fourth, President Trump signed his “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” into law, solidifying his Administration’s energy priorities as part of this sweeping legislation. Among its provisions, the legislation repealed the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and rescinded all unobligated funds associated with the program.

The section 45X Advanced Manufacturing Credit is a federal tax incentive which was established under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in 2022. The goal of 45X is to push for the domestic manufacturing of clean energy goods. It provides economic incentives for innovation and investment in a broad-based “America First” energy policy. American manufacturers are rewarded by this production-based tax credit for each eligible clean energy component they produce and sell, which encourages the development of domestic renewable energy technology. Eligible components are solar, wind, battery, inverters, and critical minerals.

Marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) is a promising solution that will boost local economies while removing harmful greenhouse gas emissions. The private sector is investing hundreds of billions of dollars to decarbonize, and mCDR could be an essential complement to net zero goals that companies continue to pursue. With greater focus and investment on this emerging sector, mCDR has the potential to bring jobs to communities and protect the environment while producing safe, long-term, and cost-effective carbon removal

Beginning in 2025, the United States is introducing new technology-neutral tax credits aimed at promoting sustainable electricity generation. The two proposed credits replace the previous technology-specific Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and Clean Electricity Production Tax Credit (PTC), which were available for projects starting construction prior to December 31st, 2024. Congress has already approved these tax credits through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The new policy, however, is created to be adaptable, allowing new zero-emission technologies to qualify without them being directly mentioned in the language. The proposal seeks to implement both the ITC and PTC while giving businesses more flexibility in their tax credit plan as well as the technology they choose to use.