While Trump Tries to Save Coal, Some in His Party Want Solar
- Some Republicans are looking to bolster the solar industry
- Trump’s energy policy puts some in party in tenuous position
Donald Trump models a hard hat in support of the miners during a campaign rally in Charleston, West Virginia on May 5, 2016.
Photographer: Mark Lyons/Getty Images
While President Donald Trump searches for a way to save America’s coal country, some in his own party have their eyes set on what’s arguably the exact opposite: bolstering solar.
Since taking office, Trump has sought to undo his predecessor’s renewable energy-friendly policies, levied tariffs on imported solar equipment and signed tax reforms that depleted financing for clean energy projects. He’s pushed for America to use more of the coal-fired power that solar and wind have helped displace: Just last week, he was said to be considering forcing grid operators to buy electricity from cash-strapped coal plants.