Department of Energy cancels $7.5B of clean energy projects in mostly blue states | TechCrunch
Key Takeaways
- The Department of Energy canceled 321 clean energy awards worth $7.56 billion.
- The cancellations disproportionately affected states that voted for Kamala Harris in the last presidential election.
- Direct air capture and hydrogen hub projects appear to be the most heavily impacted programs.
- The OMB director publicly emphasized the partisan nature of the cancellations, linking them to 'the Left’s climate agenda.'
- Award recipients have 30 days to appeal the DOE's decision, following similar legal challenges against prior administration contract cancellations.
The Department of Energy (DOE) has canceled 321 awards amounting to $7.56 billion, with the majority focused on clean energy initiatives. Although the DOE has not publicly released the full list, investigative reporting suggests that the cuts heavily target states that voted for Kamala Harris in the previous presidential election, though some 'red' states were also affected. Key programs wiped out include direct air capture (DAC) and hydrogen hub projects, with California losing $1.2 billion allocated for its hydrogen hub. Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, highlighted the partisan nature of the cuts in a public statement, noting that all 16 listed states voted for Harris. This action follows previous efforts by the Trump administration to restrict clean energy funding and communications, including banning certain climate-related terms. Awardees have 30 days to appeal the decision, mirroring previous large-scale contract cancellations by the EPA that have led to ongoing legal battles with mixed outcomes.
