Jennifer McCoy, like many others, was desperate for relief from electricity bills that had skyrocketed to over $500 a month. She hoped a free solar panel installation program would be her solution. A 39-year-old Trump supporter, McCoy was stunned when the program’s drawing was suddenly canceled. The reason? His administration had pulled $7 billion in federal grants aimed at providing solar energy access to low- and moderate-income households.
“I appreciate many of President Trump’s views, but learning about this solar panel situation has given me pause,” McCoy remarked from her home in Adairsville, Georgia, a small town grappling with rising living costs. Across Georgia and the nation, electricity costs have surged. Yet, the Trump administration withdrew billions in federal funds for renewable energy initiatives like solar and wind, which could have eased the financial burden on working families. These cuts are notably impacting the very Republican-led states that helped elect him.
Photos show a Georgia rooftop with solar panels, representing the hope of many homeowners to reduce their soaring energy bills. Jennifer McCoy herself expressed surprise at the grants’ cancellation.
The “Solar for All” program, created by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, epitomized this effort, aiming to provide solar energy access to over 900,000 households. Its dual goals were clear: curb fossil fuel reliance, a primary cause of climate change, and save participating families approximately $400 on electricity each year. Despite President Trump’s frequent dismissals of renewable energy as a “green new scam,” the Environmental Protection Agency’s termination of Solar for All stunned even seasoned energy analysts. Many had believed the program was secure, especially since Republican strongholds like Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina had actively pursued or already received funding.
Andy Posner, CEO of Capital Good Fund—a nonprofit assisting low-income individuals with energy-efficient home improvements—described the program as “the epitome of clean energy, truly apolitical.” The Georgia Bright Communities Coalition, spearheaded by Capital Good Fund and comprising various local organizations, secured a $156 million “Solar for All” grant. They intended to allocate $12 million for two randomized drawings, offering free solar installations to up to 900 low-income households in Georgia. The first drawing, launched on Monday, August 4, saw an impressive 500 households register within a single day.
Just three days later, the EPA announced the termination of “Solar for All” grants for all 60 recipients—nonprofits, state agencies, and Native American tribes alike. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin publicly dismissed the program as a “boondoggle,” claiming it would squander “billions of green slush fund dollars” in a video on social media. This decision came from EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, a vocal critic of solar power.
The sudden policy reversal in Washington sent shockwaves through recipient groups nationwide. Jennifer McCoy herself found an email from Georgia Bright, informing her that the drawing was on hold. For Ms. McCoy, a single mother balancing two jobs, rising expenses meant constant financial strain. Her Georgia Power bill alone reached $548 in August, the same month “Solar for All” was abruptly halted. In Adairsville and Bartow County, where over 75% of residents supported Mr. Trump in 2024, solar panels are a rare sight compared to political signs. Despite her personal support for Trump’s stance on abortion, McCoy is still grappling with his administration’s decision to scrap the solar program. “I hadn’t connected him directly to this decision,” she reflected, “but now, I certainly have something to consider.”
The Mounting Pressure of Rising Bills
Since 2023, Georgia Power residential customers, like Ms. McCoy, have experienced an average annual increase of $518, a staggering 33% hike. This places Georgia among states with the highest utility bills nationwide, only behind Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, and West Virginia. Georgia Power’s residential rates have climbed six times in two years, primarily due to a $17 billion cost overrun on a nuclear power plant expansion. However, Republican Governor Brian Kemp announced a deal in May to freeze base rates for the next three years, offering a temporary reprieve.
John Kraft, a Georgia Power spokesperson, stated that the utility is committed to “keeping electricity affordable” and described the nuclear plant expansion as “a long-term investment in reliable, emission-free energy.” He added that the rate freeze would shield customers from future increases driven by new AI data centers. Seth Gunning, CEO of Sunpath Solar and a Georgia Bright partner, noted that escalating electricity costs have significantly boosted interest in solar installations, even in historically conservative rural areas of Georgia.
“Both Republicans and Democrats face high power bills,” Gunning emphasized. “Solar for All wasn’t exclusively benefiting Democratic states. There’s a tremendous demand in many conservative parts of Georgia; people are really struggling.” It wasn’t just rural areas. Residents in liberal cities like Atlanta, Decatur, and Savannah also eagerly joined Georgia Bright’s drawing. Anh Nguyen, a 47-year-old East Atlanta resident, faced a Georgia Power bill of nearly $470 in August. Nguyen, a tech entrepreneur, shares a modest 1,000-square-foot, three-bedroom home with her husband and two young children. She expressed bewilderment at her “astronomical” power bill, noting her family owns no “extravagant”, energy-guzzling appliances. “They’re absolutely robbing me,” she stated during an interview in her kitchen, where a single fan battled the 76-degree afternoon heat, a desperate measure to avoid using the energy-intensive air conditioning.
Anh Nguyen, a resident of a left-leaning city, also hoped for free solar panels to mitigate her soaring $470 electricity bill. Exploring solar options outside the program, Nguyen discovered the prohibitive upfront cost of $12,000 to $20,000, making it unattainable for her. Conservative figures argue against taxpayer funding for solar affordability, cheering when the Republican-led Congress, under Trump’s domestic policy bill, eliminated federal tax credits for wind and solar energy.
Diana Furchtgott-Roth of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, stated, “We need a level playing field without subsidies for wind and solar; the wind blows and the sun shines for free.” This sentiment is notable, considering fossil fuels have enjoyed significant federal tax breaks for decades. Amid a government shutdown, the nine House Republicans from Georgia remained silent on requests for comment. Tim Echols, a Republican on the Georgia Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities, wrote to the EPA in August, advocating for “Solar for All.”
“This rooftop solar program, despite being on the chopping block, made perfect sense,” he wrote. “It allowed people who could never afford such an investment to participate.” On Tuesday, Echols affirmed his support for the president, stating, “The president is acting in what he believes is the country’s best interest, and I support his cost-cutting measures. In Georgia, we’ve advanced solar energy thoughtfully.”
Legal Battle Heats Up
The ultimate fate of “Solar for All” now rests with the courts, and Anh Nguyen is a key plaintiff in the impending legal challenge. This week, Nguyen joined a lawsuit in federal court in Rhode Island, contesting the EPA’s termination of the grants. The Rhode Island AFL-CIO, which had trained workers for solar panel installation after receiving a $49.3 million grant, leads the complaint. The lawsuit alleges that the EPA unlawfully revoked the grants without Congressional consent.
Nick Torrey, a senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center, which co-filed the suit, asserted, “We’re in court because the EPA unjustly stripped this program from families. This case has significant implications for both the program and the administration’s overall authority on spending.” EPA spokeswoman Brigit Hirsch declined to comment on the ongoing litigation. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, echoing Zeldin, has also voiced concerns about solar power’s reliability, noting at a recent New York Times conference, “You need power when the sun isn’t shining.”
However, solar advocates counter that such concerns are exaggerated, highlighting advancements in battery technology that allow solar-generated electricity to be stored for continuous use. The cancellation of the “Solar for All” program surprised energy analysts, particularly given that several traditionally conservative states had applied for or already secured funding. Marc Thomas, 79, shared his positive experience in Savannah, where he and his wife installed 14 solar panels and a battery backup in 2023. “We sought reliable, safe power, and that’s exactly what we got,” he stated, noting no significant outages since.
During Hurricane Helene last fall, while their neighborhood endured a week-long blackout, the Thomases’ home remained powered. This was crucial for Mr. Thomas, who relies on a machine for his severe sleep apnea. The Thomases benefited from Georgia Bright’s pilot program, which offered discounted solar panels and battery systems for about $100 a month to roughly 100 households. Unfortunately, Georgia Bright’s free solar installation drawings remain unscheduled, as do three other programs designed to bring affordable solar to homes and businesses.
Alicia Brown, director of Georgia Bright, confirmed the group is now actively seeking private funding to bridge the gap left by the Trump administration’s decision, even as the legal battle continues. “Despite challenges in the solar industry, it remains a sound and low-risk investment,” Brown affirmed. “With adequate private support, we can achieve great things. However, if funders withdraw like the federal government, it will be a major setback.”