It's a mystery as to who added an excise tax on solar and wind production to Republicans' domestic policy bill, a provision that stunned onlookers before it was deleted. The provision would've taxed wind and solar projects with a certain share of components from particular foreign countries, including China. The American Clean Power Association said it would've caused energy prices for consumers to climb 8% to 10% and cost clean energy businesses between $4 billion and $7 billion over the next decade, per NBC News. "It's just entirely punitive to the wind and solar industry," said Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who voted in support of the bill only after the provision was dropped.
Murkowski said the provision had been "air-dropped" into the bill before a Saturday vote as a "surprise," per NBC. "We looked at it like, where did this come from?" "I don't know where it came from," added Sen. Lindsey Graham, who'd released the 940-page bill. Other Republicans, including Sen. Cynthia Lummis, said they didn't know, either. It was ultimately removed before the Senate's final approval of the bill in a move that likely ensured Murkowski's support, per CBS News. But the bill that passed will still make it harder to develop wind and solar energy projects, industry advocates and lawmakers tell Reuters. For one thing, wind and solar tax credits for clean energy development, which weren't due to expire until 2032, will be limited to projects that are operational no later than the end of 2027.
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