April projects represent more than 1,800 new jobs, $2.2 billion in investments across 12 states
WASHINGTON – Businesses announced plans for at least 14 new, large-scale clean energy projects and plant expansions across 12 states just in April, according to a new monthly analysis from the national nonpartisan business group E2. Based on publicly available information, the 14 projects will result in more than 1,800 new jobs and $2.2 billion in new, private investments*.
All but two of the 14 major clean energy projects announced in April are in Republican congressional districts – and now all could be under threat because the very lawmakers from those districts voted last week to roll back the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and other policies driving this growth.
Following is a statement from E2 Executive Director Bob Keefe:
“Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. Even as investments, jobs and new opportunities for their constituents pour into their states and districts, some lawmakers are trying to kill the very policies making it all happen.
“What are they more interested in, supporting the economy and their constituents back home in their districts, or scoring political points in Washington?”
Last Wednesday (April 26), House Republicans voted unanimously to repeal the federal IRA that includes tax credits and investments that are almost single-handedly driving the expansion in renewable energy, electric vehicles and related industries. Two days later, on April 28, the GOP-led House also voted separately to restart a tariff on solar panels that threatens widespread layoffs and project cancellations.
The Southeast could suffer the most if these policies are approved by the Senate. The region continues to lead the clean economy revolution, with nine of the 14 major announcements tracked by E2 in April, including electric vehicle-related factories in Georgia, South Carolina and Kentucky; solar and wind energy related plants in Florida and Louisiana and clean energy semiconductor and battery factories in South Carolina and Tennessee.
Together, these projects are expected to bring $644 million in investments and more than 1,500 jobs to Southeast–as long as the members of Congress from those states do not derail them.
Since the IRA passed last August, E2 has tracked 170 new projects announced across 35 states that will add at least $78.7 billion and create more than 60,080 jobs. A full list of the projects is available at e2.org/clean-energy-announcements/.
*Many of the projects do not have investment, job, or generation estimates as of this analysis.
Detailed here is a list of clean energy announcements tracked by E2 in April. To receive the monthly Clean Economy Works newsletter, sign-up for email updates from e2.org/sign-up/. A full list of announcements since IRA is available at e2.org/clean-energy-announcements/.
To speak with E2 staff and our member business leaders in states across the country, please contact Kathryn Dunn (781-738-0730, [email protected]).
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Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) is a national, nonpartisan group of business leaders, investors, and professionals from every sector of the economy who advocate for smart policies that are good for the economy and good for the environment. Our members have founded or funded more than 2,500 companies, created more than 600,000 jobs, and manage more than $100 billion in venture and private equity capital. For more information, see http://www.e2.org or follow us on Twitter at @e2org.