Is America giving up on clean energy manufacturing?

Over the last four years, the U.S. clean energy manufacturing sector saw a historic boom. Factory construction doubled, foreign firms opened production in dozens of states, and federal policy spurred over $150 billion in manufacturing plans.

But a swirl of conflicting policies — from chaotic tariff threats to complex foreign sourcing rules — is freezing planned investments, spooking some manufacturers, and prompting some firms to halt growth plans.

Core incentives like the 45X manufacturing tax credit remain intact. But new sourcing regulations are complicating those incentives.

In this episode of Open Circuit, MJ Shiao, VP of supply chain and manufacturing at the American Clean Power Association, breaks down the recalibration now underway for companies making equipment in the U.S.

We explore the rise and stall of the manufacturing boom, dig into ACP’s latest data on where facilities are being built, and unpack the cascading uncertainty created by new FEOC rules and tariffs.

We also ask whether the U.S. can rebalance its industrial strategy to move beyond final assembly and build a more resilient, upstream supply chain. 

Open Circuit is brought to you by Natural Power. Natural Power specializes in renewable energy consulting and engineering, supporting wind, solar, and battery storage projects from concept through financing. Discover how we're creating a world powered by renewable energy at naturalpower.com.

Open Circuit is brought to you by Sungrow, the trusted provider of PV inverters and battery storage. With over 605 GW installed worldwide and a BloombergNEF ranking of “most bankable” in power conversion and energy storage, Sungrow provides solar tech you can count on. Learn more at sungrowpower.com. 

Credits: Co-hosted by Stephen Lacey, Jigar Shah, and Katherine Hamilton. Produced and edited by Stephen Lacey. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand.