The Gavin Newsom green energy agenda took a major blow this week after the Department of Energy canceled a $630.6 million Biden-era grant that the California governor had hailed as “critical” to the state. The grant, meant to support solar and wind projects under California’s CHARGE 2T program, was deemed unreliable by Trump administration officials.
Internal DOE documents revealed concerns that renewable projects “contribute limited [power] during periods of system strain.” The Biden administration announced the grant in August 2024, with Newsom claiming it would ensure “cleaner, cheaper, more reliable electricity.” Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi argued it would help build “America’s clean energy future,” while Sen. Alex Padilla said it would “deliver clean electricity while creating new green jobs.”
But Trump officials say the money amounted to wasteful spending. Energy Secretary Chris Wright defended the decision, stating, “President Trump promised to protect taxpayer dollars and expand America’s supply of affordable, reliable, and secure energy. Today’s cancellations deliver on that commitment.”
The cancellation is part of a broader rollback of $7.5 billion in Biden-era climate grants. Trump’s energy agenda emphasizes coal, natural gas, and nuclear power as more dependable than weather-dependent renewables.
Jason Isaac, CEO of the American Energy Institute, argued the cuts were overdue: “These projects were about political virtue signaling, not meeting real energy demand.”
