Nevada, the nation’s solar capital, is facing significant challenges as a result of President Donald Trump’s recent bill repeal. The “Big Beautiful Bill Act” repeals nearly all clean energy tax credits enacted under former President Joe Biden, including those for utility-scale and residential solar construction.
The consequences of this move are far-reaching. Nevada’s solar industry, which has grown significantly since 2022, is expected to lose hundreds of billions of dollars in investment and thousands of jobs. The state currently generates about 15,000 megawatts of power annually through renewable sources, but experts predict a loss of 140 gigawatts nationwide by 2035, leading to higher energy costs for the average American.
The impact will be particularly felt in Nevada, where solar production accounts for nearly a third of all power generated. With the shortened timelines for credits, some projects under construction could be completed, but many others face major hurdles, including the pending clarification on what constitutes “under construction” projects.
In addition to the economic implications, experts warn that the loss of solar production will also exacerbate energy shortages and increase reliance on imported fossil fuels. The state’s demand for power is expected to grow substantially over the next two decades, with utilities forecasting “unprecedented load growth” driven by large-scale data centers and industrial projects.
Clean energy advocates argue that the pending clarification from the Treasury Department, combined with the new executive order, will scramble the equation for what rollout of upcoming utility-scale solar projects looks like. They emphasize that solar is the cheapest and most effective way to build energy production in Nevada, but the current policies are detrimental to its development.
As the state’s renewable energy portfolio standard increases, utilities are shifting their focus towards traditional power sources like natural gas and geothermal. However, these alternatives cannot scale up quickly enough to meet the demand, leaving solar as the only viable option to fill the gap.
Nevada must now push forward with policies incentivizing renewable development to mitigate the impact of the Trump bill repeal. The state has long recognized clean energy as a bipartisan issue, and it is essential that policymakers continue to support this transition to ensure a sustainable energy future for the state.
Source: https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/for-future-growth-nevada-needs-solar-trumps-big-beautiful-bill-wont-help