Politico: Biden's climate fight now has a Fed problem
Bidens climate fight now has a Fed problem
Democrats are scrambling to prevent a conflict between their goals of fighting climate change and shoring up big banks.
By JASPER GOODMAN
10/31/2023 05:00 AM EDT
President Joe Bidens clean energy plan is facing an unexpected threat: banking regulators.
Biden is trying to funnel federal money to clean energy projects using billions of dollars in tax credits. The renewables industry relies heavily on large lenders to finance those developments: Banks and other backers invested $19 billion last year in projects like solar and wind power in return for the credits and other benefits.
But now impending rules to make large banks less risky would also make it a lot more expensive for them to make those investments.
The proposed bank rules are setting up a collision between the effort to transition away from fossil fuels and the push to ensure banks dont tank the global financial system. The renewables industry is warning the change could undo gains made by the presidents signature climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act.