Democrats Let Loose Solar Infrastructure Plan

Senate Democrats announced a $1 trillion infrastructure program Wednesday expressed as a way to give Republican "tax giveaways" for the rich back to the American people.

While the plan is unlikely to be adopted by President Trump or gain traction in a GOP-controlled Congress, it serves as a meaningful policy document as the nation heads into a grueling midterm election season.

"Our plan will improve the daily lives of millions of American households by creating a 21st-century transportation network, rebuilding water systems and schools, making our electric system stable and our communities more resilient, and much more," the Democrat plan states. "And we will make these critical investments without undermining important environmental protections."

The White House uncovered a $200 billion infrastructure plan last month that sought to “stimulate at least $1.5 trillion in new investment over the next ten years,” mainly from local and private roots. Many environmental and clean energy groups opposed the plan, which they say is damaging or does nothing to improve U.S. health and prosperity. The program is also facing strong pushback from local lawmakers, economists and even some in Trump's own party over how to pay for it. 

Democrats Take Different Run

Democrats took an unconventional tack by boosting federal spending and paying for it through additional tax reform. Significant ticket items include $140 billion to repair roads and bridges, $115 billion for water and sewer infrastructure, $115 billion to modernize public transportation, and $40 billion to enable universal high-speed internet access.

For the energy and cleantech sectors, the proposal includes an attractive $80 billion to "bring innovation to America's energy grid." That funding would go toward research, development and demonstration programs for "energy storage and other advanced grid technologies, including microgrids and distribution-level investments" and would "help integrate more renewable energy onto the grid, empower consumers, improve the security of the grid, and help meet electricity demand."

Smart Structures

Smart structures, smart transportation systems, and smart grid technologies would also benefit from the $80 billion carve-out. Besides, the federal government would invest directly in advanced building management and controls at government-owned buildings under the Democratic plan, which states that smart technologies have the potential to increase U.S. GDP by 25 percent to 40 percent by 2030.

The program also cites $300 billion in U.S. financial losses last year due to natural disasters, which Democrats say supports increased grid resilience spending. The proposal goes on to highlight Democrat lawmakers' desire to boost investments in high-efficiency transmission lines, efficiency upgrades, and federally declared assets, including the Bonneville Power Administration and the Tennessee Valley Authority. President Trump's infrastructure plan would have privatized those assets. 

Policy standards accompanying the Democratic infrastructure budget include consolidating almost all existing renewable energy tax incentives into three new provisions that give "a dramatically simpler set of long-term, performance-based energy incentives that are technology-neutral and promote clean energy in the United States." Democrats also offered new incentives based on performance, rather than specific technologies.

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