The Bomb That Will Hit The US Solar Industry & US Jobs From The “Big Beautiful Bill”

Last Updated on: 6th June 2025, 12:22 pm

Well, I generally agree with Elon Musk on this one — the Republican budget bill in Congress is a “Big Ugly Bill,” a “disgusting abomination,” not a “Big Beautiful Bill.” The bill is proposing we bomb cleantech industries (metaphorically, since we have to clarify everything crazy these days). Not wanting any of Joe Biden’s big wins to continue, and being slaves to fossil fuel industries as they have been for decades, Republicans are attacking the EV industry, the wind industry, and the solar industry in this bill.

It’s actually really hard to explain how bad this bill is for cleantech industries (among other things, like Medicaid). But the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has put in a good effort on the solar front. Savvy as ever, the organization is trying to appeal to Republican politicians — as I would do if I was in their shoes. But I assume they know this is an extremely hard challenge to hurdle.

“Reconciliation legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in May could jeopardize solar and storage jobs nationwide if the Senate fails to improve the House-passed rollback of clean energy tax credits,” SEIA starts out.

“New state-by-state analysis released today by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) warns that solar and storage jobs in every U.S. state could be axed if the House-passed bill becomes law.” Indeed. Here’s the visual that tells the story best:

This big horrible bill is threatening to cost the US solar industry more than 100,000 jobs. A full 330,000 jobs could be at risk. Really, how smart or beautiful is that?

Looking at it from a different angle, “The analysis also found that the House-passed tax bill could trigger the closure or cancellation of 331 factories and erase $286 billion in local investment in American communities.” Does that look like “Making America Great Again” put into action? Or does that look like shooting yourself in the foot … and the hand … and the femur?

SEIA is right to point out that Republican-led states will be hurt the most. Texas and Florida alone could lose more than 55,000 jobs.

“Lost jobs in every single state are a recipe for disaster for American families, businesses, and the U.S. economy,” said SEIA president and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper. “From Texas and California to Florida and Illinois, lawmakers will put Americans nationwide out of work if this legislation becomes law, plain and simple. Axing energy jobs means shuttered U.S. factories, canceled local investments, and energy shortfalls nationwide. We hope that U.S. Senators won’t let their constituents lose their livelihoods on their watch.”

Indeed. But what else could we expect from a Republican-controlled Congress and White House?

It’s easy to be flippant about this, because it was all predicted. People who dreamed of some kind of happy marriage between cleantech and Republican politicians because Elon Musk joined the team or because of all the obvious economic benefits going to “red states” and “red districts” wee very likely fooling themselves. In the past few decades, Republican politicians have been steadfast in their support of oil, gas, and coal more than anything other than tax cuts for the super rich. That’s not changing. The fact that it hurts their own people doesn’t matter.

Yes, there is still some slim hope that a handful of Republican politicians in states really benefitting from solar power’s rise will step up and preserve some of the pro-solar policies Biden got passed. But my experience with this administration tells me we should expect the worst, not common sense.