President Joe Biden will invoke the Defense Production Act in order to produce solar panels, forcing private companies to comply with leftist demands to transition the United States away from oil and gas.
"President Biden today issued presidential determinations providing the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) with the authority to utilize the Defense Production Act (DPA) to accelerate domestic production of five key energy technologies: (1) solar; (2) transformers and electric grid components; (3) heat pumps; (4) insulation; and (5) electrolyzers, fuel cells, and platinum group metals," the Department of Energy released in a statement Monday.
In a "fact sheet" released by the White House, Biden administration officials claim the move will spur domestic solar panel production and ramp up so-called "clean energy" projects.
"Today, President Biden is taking action to: Authorize use of the Defense Production Act (DPA) to accelerate domestic production of clean energy technologies, including solar panel parts; Put the full power of federal procurement to work spurring additional domestic solar manufacturing capacity by directing the development of master supply agreements, including 'super preference' status," the sheet states. "Create a 24-month bridge as domestic manufacturing rapidly scales up to ensure the reliable supply of components that U.S. solar deployers need to construct clean energy projects and an electric grid for the 21st century, while reinforcing the integrity of our trade laws and processes. "
The move echoes efforts made by the Obama administration to prop up solar energy. At the time, Biden was Vice President and the project was a complete failure. It also left American taxpayers on the hook. From Forbes:
Solar panel start-up Solyndra was the first company to get government-backed loans from ARRA after its passage, collecting $535 million and receiving a $25 million tax break from California's agency for alternative energy.
Solyndra’s federal loan came from a program created by the 2009 stimulus for companies developing “commercially available technologies,” and the company said it would use the funds to invest in its one-of-a-kind technology using cylindrical panels to generate solar energy.
But the company misled the U.S. Department of Energy in its application, and about two-and-a-half years after receiving the funds, filed for bankruptcy, laid off its 1,100 employees, and shut down all operations.
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