New report shows which state would lose 42,000 jobs if budget bill passes: 'Derail a generational economic transformation'

Yahoo

8 hours ago

As the U.S. Senate debates a highly controversial bill, thousands of clean energy jobs in Georgia could be on the chopping block.
On May 22, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, by a vote of 215-214. While the bill has been hailed by Republican lawmakers as an important stepping stone for extended tax cuts for individuals and small businesses, it also aims to greatly reduce the Inflation Reduction Act's green energy tax credits.
Many of these tax credits can be used to offset the costs of home solar panel installation. EnergySage can make it easy and painless to find solar installation estimates and compare quotes thanks to their free tools.
If passed, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act would not only hinder credits for electric vehicles and energy-efficient products, but it would also endanger many solar power and wind farm projects across the country. According to a report from Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, the passing of H.R. 1 would ultimately cost the state up to 42,000 jobs.
All told, 51 new clean energy projects totaling over $28 billion in funding have been announced in Georgia since the passing of the IRA. These projects include solar manufacturing, EV production, and battery manufacturing.
In a statement to EnergySage, Warnock emphasized the importance of many of these clean energy projects. "Georgia businesses and workers agree that we should protect investments that are spurring good-paying manufacturing jobs across the state," he said.
As one of the leading experts in reporting across the solar industry, EnergySage has followed this development since H.R. 1 was first introduced. Although many states have directly benefited from the IRA, Georgia has made the most of it. According to EnergySage, the state has received around $4.50 in private investment for every $1 of federal funding.
"We should not be sacrificing Georgia jobs for tax cuts for folks who are already well off, and we cannot allow political games to derail a generational economic transformation that is already putting people to work and creating economic opportunity," added Warnock.
If the Investment Tax Credit were successfully eliminated, it would mean that homeowners would need to complete their solar installations by the end of the year to get the 30% tax credit. While the elimination of the ITC will rely on the Senate passing the bill, it may be wise to take advantage of incentives before it's too late.
To help, you can utilize EnergySage's free services, which can save you up to $10,000 in incentives for solar purchases and installations. EnergySage even offers a mapping tool that shows the average cost of a home solar panel system in each state as well as details on solar panel incentives. When combined, they can not only help you get the best price for rooftop solar panels but also make use of all of the incentives that are available in your area.
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