Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The U.S. federal government has subsidized wind and solar energy sources for decades, a practice the current Energy Secretary criticizes as resulting in higher electricity prices and a less stable grid. The Renewable Electricity Production Tax Credit (REPTC), introduced in 1992 for wind energy, was intended to phase out by 1999 but has been extended 12 times. Despite these subsidies, consumers pay more on average for electricity today than in 1992 when adjusted for inflation, according to the Energy Secretary.
Currently, over 75% of electricity in the United States comes from natural gas, nuclear, and coal, which provide continuous power independent of weather. This reliability was evident during peak electricity demand at 8 p.m. on Inauguration Day during extreme cold in the Mid-Atlantic, where solar and wind contributed virtually no power, while coal, natural gas, and nuclear met most of the demand.
The Energy Secretary supports proposals like the One Big Beautiful Bill, aiming to eliminate green tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act. The goal is to set an end date for these subsidies and focus on affordable, abundant, and secure energy sources, reflecting the view that current renewable subsidies are wasteful and counterproductive.