ACE NY Takes On DC for Clean Power on The Hill
By Nate Belluche, Alliance for Clean Energy New York
On April 18-19, staff members from Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACE NY) and the New York Offshore Wind Alliance (NYOWA) attended the annual American Clean Power (ACP) advocacy day in Washington, D.C. Clean Power on the Hill gives ACP members a chance to engage directly with legislators at the federal level to discuss critical clean energy issues and educate members of Congress on how policies will affect the renewables industry.
The first day of the event gave attendees a chance to learn effective advocacy techniques and connect with clean energy industry colleagues from around the country. ACP staff, former and current federal legislators, and industry leaders spoke on best practices for advocacy and engagement.
The next day, participants were organized into advocacy groups based on state. ACE NY was able to meet with representatives from districts around New York. Notable meetings included the offices of Elise Stefanik (R) (NY-21), Nicholas Langworthy (R) (NY-23), and Albany’s own, Paul Tonko (D) (NY-20). The legislators and their staffers were responsive to our concerns, asked intelligent questions, and seemed committed to working on policies that would support clean energy moving forward.
A major issue discussed at Clean Power on the Hill was solar tariff policy. First, some background: in June 2022, President Biden implemented a 24-month waiver for tariffs on solar panels manufactured in four Southeast Asian countries, after learning the potential tariffs could force solar developers to freeze project development and raise costs.
The Auxin Congressional Review Act (CRA) introduced in the House on March 7 by Rep. Bill Posey [R-FL-8] and in the Senate on February 16 by Sen. Rick Scott [R-FL] would repeal this waiver.
Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia satisfy over half of the current U.S. solar panel demand and domestically produced panels are sold out for years. Biden’s current two-year tariff-free period offers project developers the opportunity to continue bringing solar onto the grid and give panel producers more time to build out domestic manufacturing facilities.
Without the waiver in place, energy costs for consumers will increase and solar development around the country will likely stall, which could result in the loss of up to 30,000 American jobs. Additionally, the Auxin CRA would impose retroactive tariffs of up to 254% on solar panels already sold and installed in the United States going back to April of 2022, which would total an estimated $2.3 billion and affect over 100 companies. It’s important to note that these solar importers were abiding by the Department of Commerce’s 10-year-old precedent and should not be punished for needing a temporary transition period to comply with new rules.
ACE, NYOWA, and other ACP members were able to have in-depth conversations about these topics and the consequences of slowed renewable development in the U.S. It was great to see some of our members, including Cypress Creek Renewables, EDP Renewables, EDF Renewables, Avangrid, RWE Renewables, AES Clean Energy, Equinor, American Clean Power, and National Grid Ventures, in Washington, D.C. advocating for clean energy policy.
While ACE NY is very active in New York and has many connections in the state Legislature, it’s important we build relationships with senators and representatives at the federal level. Being a reliable resource for any questions or concerns from legislative offices allows us to not only educate on clean energy but also shape policies on a national stage.
