Trump Administration Cancels Major Clean Energy Projects, Impacting Thousands of Jobs
The Trump administration has announced a second round of cancellations, this time targeting major clean energy projects. The cuts include significant hydrogen hub projects and nearly half of direct air capture hub grants. This move follows a previous round in which 321 financial awards supporting 223 projects worth about $7.56 billion were canceled under President Trump's Department of Energy.
GE Vernova has been particularly affected, with 11 of its projects canceled. Notably, only a handful of these projects are located in Republican states. The cancellations also impact two West Coast hydrogen hubs funded by the 2021 infrastructure law, but other hubs remain unaffected.
The list of affected projects includes 10 out of 21 megaprojects intended for direct air capture, mostly in Democratic-led states. Companies like Plug Power have also been impacted, with two of its awards from DOE's renewable office canceled. Projects from various offices, including the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and the Grid Deployment Office, are also affected.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has mentioned that 'thousands' of federal jobs could be cut as a result of these cancellations. Meanwhile, President Trump is reportedly meeting with OMB's Vought to determine further cuts to 'Democrat Agencies', as per a social media post.
The cancellations, totaling over 300 clean energy grants worth $7.5 billion approved under the Biden administration, raise concerns about the future of clean energy initiatives in the US. The impact on jobs and specific companies, such as Plug Power, is yet to be fully understood. The administration's rationale behind these cuts and the potential effects on the environment and energy sector remain to be seen.
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