Climate Power Hosts Briefing to Discuss Business Closures, Rising Costs, and Impacts of Federal Policy on Clean Energy Progress in North Carolina
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Raleigh, NC – Today, Climate Power hosted a virtual presser to discuss recent clean energy business closures, rising costs, and the negative impact of federal policy on North Carolina’s clean energy sector. Dr. Stephen A. Smith, Executive Director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE), Charlie Tumbleston, IBEW, and Jesse Lee, Senior Advisor at Climate Power made remarks on how federal policy is undercutting the sector where North Carolina has been a leader.
Just last week, Business North Carolina reported that Blue Ridge Power, a solar construction company and subsidiary of Pine Gate Renewables, would close, resulting in the layoff of 517 North Carolinians. This is the second time in less than three weeks that a North Carolina clean energy company has been forced to close. Earlier this month, North Carolina Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley blamed Donald Trump’s energy policies for the cancellation of Natron Energy’s plans to build a $1.4 billion battery factory that would have created 1,000 jobs. The announcement came on the heels of a new Climate Power report and tracker that details the rising costs, job losses, power shortages, and abandoned investments caused by the Trump administration’s hostility towards clean energy.
Key Takeaways from the discussion:
Dr. Stephen A. Smith, SACE: “The current administration is creating chaos and uncertainty in the clean energy markets while the rest of the world is moving ahead with 21st century technology. It’s as if the U.S. is doubling down on being a petro-state rather than becoming a leader in electrotech, which will define job growth and economic development in the 21st century.”
Jesse Lee, Climate Power: “America is in an energy crisis, where we don’t have enough energy to meet demand and utility rates are up 10% just this year. North Carolina has been poised to manufacture the solution to that crisis, with an abundance of American clean energy, but the Republican budget this year pulled the rug out from under North Carolina’s economic future. Thom Tillis stood up for North Carolina working families and warned this would happen. The biggest question is whether the next senator will do the same.”
Charlie Tumbleston, IBEW: “There is no doubt that clean energy jobs have been beneficial to IBEW members in North Carolina. The Toyota Battery Manufacturing Plant near Greensboro is among the best examples and completely changed the trajectory of IBEW Local 342. Since the project began about two years ago, the local has grown over 450%. The project also created a need for an increase in apprentices. Apprenticeships have more than doubled at Local 342. This means more people are getting the best training in the industry and setting themselves up for a career that is in high demand. It is impossible to ignore the growth and the benefit of this project over the last two years. Currently, however, the project is experiencing a slowdown, largely due to uncertainty. Among other disruptions, today, September 30, 2025, marks the last day of the EV Tax Credit, which was originally set to run through 2032.”
You can view the event here. Please reach out to terryn@climatepower.us for additional resources and information.
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