Why Taxing Wind And Solar Isn’t Insane And Deserves A Broader Debate

[rangerrebew]

Why Taxing Wind And Solar Isn’t Insane And Deserves A Broader Debate
Americans have been misled by media, politicians, and foreign lobbying into believing renewables are unquestionably good.
by John F. Di Leo  July 03, 2025, 11:11 AM

As usual, the mainstream media is losing its collective mind over the idea of taxing solar and wind power, due to a provision included in the thousand pages of the Big, Beautiful Bill. [emphasis, links added]


The important thing here is that the pundits whining about it clearly don’t understand what energy means in the context of public policy. We must begin by remembering that “energy” can mean many things, depending on the issue at hand.

If you ask an electrical engineer what “energy” is, he may specifically describe the voltage itself and how it travels, but not go further. But in a public policy discussion like this, the voltage is only a tiny slice of a much bigger pie.

https://climatechangedispatch.com/wind-solar-tax-congress-debate/

[Smokin Joe]

In our state, oil and gas are taxed at 11.5% (even flared gas is taxed) as an extraction tax. Frankly, that funds half of the State Budget, and part is set aside in the Legacy Fund for the future. No, we don't operate at a deficit.

However wind (roughly 1/3 of the electricity generated here, and we generate roughly twice what we use and sell the surplus to Canada, Minnesota, Montana, and South Dakota) is a little different. Hmmm. Valuable agricultural land is used by the industry, and since statehood, agriculture has been the breadwinner (no pun intended).

Oil and Gas companies are required to construct their drilling/production locations in such a way as to ensure environmental safguards, but also have to post a reclamation bond to cover costs of plugging and abandoning a well (or wells, in the case of a multiwell pad) and the reclamation of the surface location.

It turns out here, the same requirements, including a reclamation bond are placed on wind energy facilities, though the foundations need only be removed to a depth of four feet below the surface. (Some far future geologist/paleontologist is going to have fun with that).
Is there an energy production tax?

Well, yes. According to Google AI:

The Wind Generation Tax (WGT) applies to wind turbines completed after December 31, 2014, or those operating for over 20 years. This tax replaces property taxes and consists of two parts: $2.50 per kilowatt of nameplate capacity and $. per kilowatt-hour generated.

So yes, Virginia, there is a tax, and anywhere that does not gain revenue and have similar protections in place is, well, dumb.