Enviro, renewables groups want Dems to ‘make demands’ for clean energy grants

“We are pushing hard,” said Rob Gramlich, a lobbyist with the American Wind Energy Association.

Green energy advocates say the program has provided a lifeline to renewable electricity project developers during the economic downturn.

The big 2009 stimulus law authorized grants of up to 30 percent of project costs — depending on the type of development — that can be claimed in lieu of traditional renewable energy tax credit financing. The tax financing market had tanked alongside the economy.

But Republicans bashed the program on the campaign trail this year as part of a wider attack on the stimulus bill. They claim the grants are creating jobs in China and other countries.

Backers of the program counter that it funds only U.S. power-generation projects that employ people here to build and operate them — even if some components are made by foreign companies and built overseas.



And the American Wind Energy Association has said a significant percentage of the components in stimulus-funded wind projects are also manufactured here.

The wind energy group and the Solar Energy Industries Association are scrambling to raise the profile of the grants in the tax debate. The two trade groups are holding a conference call with reporters late Wednesday morning.

“The TGP has supported 1,179 solar projects with total investments of over $1.3 billion in 42 states and 211 wind projects with total investments of over $15 billion in 38 states. The TGP has succeeded with its intended purpose of stimulating financing and installation of renewable energy projects despite the slow economic recovery and loss of the tax equity finance market,” the solar group said in an advisory about the call.

Advocates will likely look to senators including Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) to lead efforts to include an extension of the program. The duo spearheaded a letter from over two dozen Democrats to Senate leaders in late November calling for a two-year extension.

Andrew Restuccia contributed. 

This post was updated at 10:06 a.m.