House Democrats include wind and solar tax credit extensions in sweeping infrastructure bill

Source: By Abby Smith, Washington Examiner • Posted: Monday, June 22, 2020

House Democrats are proposing to extend wind and solar tax credits by five years as part of their $1.5 trillion infrastructure package, teeing up a fight with Senate Republicans.

The infrastructure bill, the Moving Forward Act, incorporates a discussion draft released late last year by Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee that would extend a variety of clean energy tax credits. House Democrats released the text of the package on Monday.

In addition to the wind and solar tax credits, the legislation would extend incentives for carbon capture technology and offshore wind. The bill would also create an incentive for energy storage, waste energy technologies, and qualifying biogas projects.

The inclusion of the clean energy tax credit language follows increasing pressure on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from rank-and-file Democrats to include aid to the renewable energy sector in coronavirus relief efforts. The renewable energy industry has shed nearly 100,000 jobs since the pandemic began, according to analysis from BW Research, Environmental Entrepreneurs, the American Council on Renewable Energy, and E4TheFuture.