A renewables playbook for the rest of Trump 2.0
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A top renewables and storage group sees openings for progress on Capitol Hill as it looks to build more nationwide power on the political right.
Why it matters: Trump officials are targeting wind power, which the president overtly despises, and last year's GOP budget law phased out tax credits for wind and solar generation projects.
Driving the news: American Clean Power Association CEO Jason Grumet on Tuesday briefed reporters on the group's strategy — on and off Capitol Hill — in the near and longer term.
A few highlights of its quest for "policy durability"...
📃 Permitting: A big bipartisan deal is a top priority in this Congress — and one Grumet acknowledges is looking dicey.
- "We think the window of opportunity there is starting to close," he said, noting that a bipartisan Senate proposal from leaders of the environment and energy committees has yet to surface.
- Grumet's not especially hopeful about a lame duck deal.
💵 Tax policy: In the next Congress — assuming Democrats win control of at least one chamber — the group sees openings for new credits that support transmission projects, and improving incentives for domestic manufacturing.
- "We look forward to the opportunity, as we move into what we anticipate is divided government, to restore some of the bipartisan support for this industry," Grumet said.
- Boosting transmission would help ensure the grid is adequate for all energy technologies, he said.
🚢 Tariffs and trade: "We think there is growing discomfort in the Congress about the way tariffs are being used," Grumet said.
- There may be opportunities for Congress to make tariff policy less volatile, he said.
💪 Building power among conservatives: The group has been expanding its communications and messaging.
- One channel is the pro-solar "American Energy First" coalition of companies created in late 2025 that's affiliated with the group. It includes "clean energy companies that have worked together to activate a network of conservative thought leaders and digital influencers," Grumet said.
- Work to date included a poll conducted by former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway's firm.
- American Clean Power created a separate new grassroots effort last year called PowerVotes that aims to mobilize conservative support for permitting reform and state-level project siting work.
- And it's expanding efforts to build support across the political spectrum via platforms like TikTok, Substack and Instagram.
What's next: American Clean Power will help a group of member companies launch a major new consumer outreach campaign this fall about the benefits of clean energy.
- "It's really the first time that the industry is putting significant resources behind that kind of consumer engagement, consumer awareness," Grumet said.
