Manufacturers urge Congress to pass clean energy tax incentives to boost U.S. production

On Tuesday, more than 100 U.S. manufacturers and producers sent a letter to President Joe Biden, stating their support for long-term clean energy tax incentives in federal budget reconciliation legislation.

The letter, addressed to leaders in the House and Senate as well, voiced support from groups ranging from the Coalition for Clean Energy Jobs and Innovation to industry groups like General Stamping & Metalworks. The group said the legislation would help grow existing production, revive jobs and production in key sectors, restart idled facilities, and invest in American production and manufacturing.

“The pandemic and recent global conflicts have thrown energy markets and supply chains into turmoil, making it even more important to grow America’s energy manufacturing base,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association. “The clean energy deployment and manufacturing incentives being considered by Congress are the blueprint to solving our energy security issues and would drive historic growth in domestic manufacturing and production. Manufacturers need policy certainty to make these capital investments.”

The letter said that long-term tax incentives will unlock more manufacturing capacity to meet the demand for clean energy, including U.S. steel production. The solar industry alone will need 2.5 million tons of steel annually by 2030.

Additionally, the letter said tools and resources available in the United States that can spur domestic production help manufacturers prepare to make investments to benefit state and local economies across the country.

“Passage of the clean energy tax package being considered by Congress would dramatically ramp up private investment and domestic manufacturing of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and will be critical to reaching the nation’s decarbonization goals,” said Frank Wolak, president and CEO of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association. “With passage of policies like this clean energy tax package, the U.S. hydrogen industry has the potential to create 3.4 million jobs, generate $750 billion in revenue, and supply 14% of national energy demand by 2050.”

The group urged Congress to act quickly to pass pertinent legislation.