Trump confirms intention to dismantle the Clean Power Plan

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

President-elect Donald Trump has confirmed his intentions to cancel the Clean Power Plan, in a video message outlining his plans for when he takes office in January.

During his election campaign, Trump made several references to his intent to dismantle not only Obama’s Clean Power Plan, but also US involvement with the Paris Climate Agreement and the solar investment tax credit.

His latest message stressed his designs in “putting America first” with promises to “bring back our jobs”.

On day one, Trump said he would cancel any restrictions on US energy production – of which the Clean Power Plan is one. The policy, aimed at fighting anthropogenic climate change, works by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by phasing out coal plants and allowing states to outline their own renewable and emissions reduction targets to reach the overarching goal of reducing carbon emissions by 32% by 2030 compared with 2005 levels.

Therefore, the Plan puts restrictions on coal plants for their harmful emissions which Trump vowed to ressurrect. 

“I will cancel job-killing restrictions on the production of American energy, including shale energy and clean coal, creating many millions of high-paying jobs,” Trump said.

“That's what we want – that's what we've been waiting for.”

For a concerted roll-back on regulations restriction American energy, the real estate tycoon pledged that for every new regulation brought into force, two existing regulations will be eliminated.

17 June 2025
Napa, USA
PV Tech has been running PV ModuleTech Conferences since 2017. PV ModuleTech USA, on 17-18 June 2025, will be our fourth PV ModulelTech conference dedicated to the U.S. utility scale solar sector. The event will gather the key stakeholders from solar developers, solar asset owners and investors, PV manufacturing, policy-making and and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out the PV module supply channels to the U.S. out to 2026 and beyond.
7 October 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
PV Tech has been running an annual PV CellTech Conference since 2016. PV CellTech USA, on 7-8 October 2025 is our third PV CellTech conference dedicated to the U.S. manufacturing sector. The events in 2023 and 2024 were a sell out success and 2025 will once again gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing in the U.S. out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

January 10, 2025
Investment firm EQT has acquired US-based distributed energy company Scale Microgrids for an undisclosed amount.
January 10, 2025
The US Department of Commerce (DoC) has awarded polysilicon producer Hemlock Semiconductor up to US$325 million in direct funding.
January 10, 2025
Linea Energy has closed project debt financing for a 109MWdc utility-scale solar PV power plant in Wilcox County, Georgia, in the US.
January 10, 2025
Origis Energy has closed a US$415 million finance package for its 145MW Swift Air Solar project currently under construction in Texas.
January 9, 2025
With the close of this deal, LS Power takes ownership of 44 solar PV and wind projects across North America.
January 9, 2025
Energy generation and storage developer Estuary Power has closed a US$340 million financing package for a 185MW solar-plus-storage project being constructed in Lincoln County, Nevada, US.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events, Upcoming Webinars
January 16, 2025
2pm GMT / 3pm CET
Solar Media Events
February 4, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
February 17, 2025
London, UK