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Communities Devastated By Clean Energy Layoffs And Trump’s Energy Policies

Last Updated: 12/11/25

Solar Companies Laid Off Workers And Paused Investment Plans In North Georgia Communities

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QCells Laid Off 300 Workers And Cut Pay And Hours For 1,000 Workers Due To Customs And Border Protection Delays

Summary: In November 2025, QCells announced it would lay off 300 workers from its plants in Dalton and Cartersville, Georgia, and temporarily reduce pay and working hours for an additional 1,000 workers. The company attributed the layoffs and hour cuts to supply chain issues caused by delays at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which has been detaining the company’s imported components at a higher rate. Customs and Border Protection stepped up enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which caused QCell imports to be delayed. QCells maintains that none of its materials or components were made with forced labor or even sourced from China. 

SOALRCYCLE’s Georgia Solar Recycling Facilities Delayed By Republicans’ Tax Bill

Summary: In July 2025, SOLARCYCLE’s CEO said the company was holding off on the groundbreaking for its solar glass manufacturing facility in Georgia due to uncertainty. Suvi Sharma, SOLARCYCLE’s CEO, said that “one of the worst things for running a company is uncertainty” when discussing plans for the facility. In June 2025, the company reported that its planned $500 million investment in Cedartown, Georgia, was threatened by House Republicans’ plan to repeal clean energy tax credits. If opened, the two facilities were expected to create 1,200 local jobs. The company was planning to start hiring for the facility in July, before the Republican tax plan introduced uncertainty about the plant’s future. 

Community Impact

Northwest Georgia had struggled to attract good-paying manufacturing jobs. For example, Dalton, located near the Georgia-Tennessee border, was the center of global carpeting manufacturing until the 2009 economic crisis caused massive job losses and shifted production overseas. The industry never bounced back, and the city lost 40 percent of its carpeting jobs between 2005 and 2023. 

That changed when QCells announced new investments in the region, and planned to create 3,800 direct jobs across Bartow and Whitfield counties while supporting nearly 3,000 additional indirect jobs in surrounding communities. QCells said the passage of the IRA was “crucial” to its success and decision to expand manufacturing in the U.S.

However, that growth is now being reversed due to the Trump administration. In November 2025, QCells announced it would lay off 300 workers from its plants in Dalton and Cartersville, Georgia, and temporarily reduce pay and working hours for an additional 1,000 workers. These layoffs were attributed to supply chain challenges from increased enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act by the Trump administration. QCells maintains that none of its materials or components were made with forced labor or even sourced from China. 

Trump’s policies were also delaying SOLARCYCLE’s planned investment in the region. The company planned to invest $500 million to open a solar panel recycling facility in Cedartown, Georgia, but was delaying the investment. Suvi Sharma, SOLARCYCLE’s CEO, said that “one of the worst things for running a company is uncertainty” when discussing plans for the facility. If opened, SOLARCYCLE’s investment was expected to create 1,200 local jobs. 

Lansing, Michigan, Loses Two Federal Grants To Revitalize The City’s Manufacturing Sector

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General Motors Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Conversion Grant For Grand River Assembly Plant Canceled

Summary: In October 2025, General Motors’ grant to support the conversion of its Grand River plant to EV assembly was canceled. The $500 million grant, combined with $900.6 million in non-federal funding, was expected to allow GM to retain 650 union jobs at the facility and create at least 50 new jobs. 

RG Resource Integrated Solar Panel And Thermal Capture Manufacturing Grant Canceled

Summary: In October 2025, RG Resource’s grant to support the development of a manufacturing facility for the company’s integrated solar photovoltaic and thermal capture panels was canceled. The $5.1 million grant, combined with $6.5 million in non-federal funding, was expected to support a 120,000 units-per-year manufacturing facility. The manufacturing facility, announced through PowerPanel, was expected to be located in Lansing, Michigan, and create over 150 new jobs.

Community Impact

Auto manufacturing provided a stable base for Lansing, Michigan’s economy for decades. Michigan’s first auto manufacturing facility was located in the city, and the Lansing area has been home to two major GM manufacturing facilities since the early 2000s. Lansing’s economy has diversified, but auto manufacturing has provided “stability” for the region’s overall economy. The Inflation Reduction Act included key grants to encourage clean energy manufacturing in the region; their cancellation is imperiling new manufacturing investments in the city.

In October 2025, General Motors’ grant to support the conversion of its Grand River plant to EV assembly was canceled.  When the grant was first announced, Lansing’s Mayor, Andy Schor, said the investment meant that “Lansing will continue to put the world on wheels, now and for decades into the future.” Now, that future is uncertain. The $500 million grant, combined with $900.6 million in non-federal funding, was expected to allow GM to retain 650 union jobs at the facility and create at least 50 new jobs.

The U.S. Department of Energy also canceled a grant to RG Resource, doing business as PowerPanel, in October 2025. The $5.1 million grant, combined with $6.5 million in non-federal funding, was expected to support a 120,000 units-per-year manufacturing facility. PowerPanel aimed to create 150 manufacturing jobs in Lansing with the support of federal funding.

Lordstown, Ohio, Devastated By Layoffs At General Motors Battery Plant Caused By Trump’s Anti-EV Policies

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GM Laid Off 550 At Ultium Battery Manufacturing Facility

Summary: In October 2025, GM announced it would cut 550 jobs at its Ultium battery manufacturing facility in Warren, Ohio. An additional 850 workers at the facility were temporarily laid off. GM attributed the cuts to “slower near-term EV adoption and an evolving regulatory environment.” GM also planned to temporarily pause operations at the battery factory starting in January 2026.

Community Impact

In 2017, President Trump promised workers in Youngstown, Ohio, that he would bring manufacturing jobs back to the region, telling them, “Don’t move. Don’t sell your house.” Workers took that promise seriously. The growing clean energy economy, not President Trump’s policies, brought jobs back to Lordstown. In 2019, GM and LG Energy Solutions formed a joint venture for EV batteries, called Ultium Cells, and announced Ultium would open a battery manufacturing facility in Lordstown. 

Ultium Cells was poised for growth in Lordstown. The battery plant created over 1,000 good-paying manufacturing jobs. This growth was further supported by the Biden administration – the plant’s growth was bolstered by EV tax credits and a loan from the U.S. Department of of Energy.

However, Trump’s policies are reversing this growth. In October 2025, GM announced it would permanently cut 550 jobs at the facility and temporarily lay off an additional 850 workers. GM also planned to temporarily pause operations at the battery factory starting in January 2026. GM attributed the cuts to “slower near-term EV adoption and an evolving regulatory environment.”

The Prysmian Group Canceled A Planned Clean Energy Manufacturing Facility In Somerset, Massachusetts, That Was Expected To Be The Center Of The Town’s Economy For Generations

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Prysmian Group Brayton Point Offshore Wind Cable Plant Canceled

Summary: In January 2025, the Prysmian Group announced it would no longer pursue permits for its planned $200 million offshore wind cable plant in Somerset, Massachusetts. The factory was projected to employ 250 workers at the site of a former coal power plant, helping restore a lost economic driver in the community. Massachusetts Representative Jake Auchincloss argued that President Trump’s moratorium on offshore wind caused the Prysmian Group to pull back investment.

EDP Renewables Delayed SouthCoast Offshore Wind

Summary: In February 2025, EDP Renewables shared that it was planning a four-year delay for its SouthCoast offshore wind project near Massachusetts. The company attributed the delay to Trump’s freeze on new wind permits and a review of existing permits. Development of SouthCoast Wind supported 530 jobs, and the project’s construction was projected to create 5,760 new jobs. 

Community Impact

In January 2025, the Prysmian Group announced it would no longer pursue permits for its planned $200 million offshore wind cable plant in Somerset, Massachusetts. The factory was projected to employ 250 workers at the site of a former coal power plant, helping restore a lost economic driver in the community. Massachusetts Representative Jake Auchincloss argued that President Trump’s moratorium on offshore wind caused the Prysmian Group to pull back investment.

The cancellation leaves a gaping hole in the city’s revitalization plans. The town of Somerset had expected the plant to generate $8 to $14 million in annual tax revenue once the facility was running, a tenfold increase over what the current property owner pays. That tax income would fill a hole in the town’s tax revenue left by the closure of two coal-fired power plants that used to operate at Brayton Point. Somerset Board of Selectmen Chair Jamison Souza said the community is now starting from scratch, as they believed the investment would be the center of the town’s economy for generations.

Souza said the town was also “in conversations with SouthCoast Wind” to develop at the site. However, those conversations are likely frozen as EDP Renewables announced it was delaying SouthCoast Wind for four years due to President Trump’s freeze on new wind permits and a review of existing permits. The development of SouthCoast Wind supported 530 jobs, and the project’s construction was projected to create 5,760 new jobs.

New York Offshore Wind Cancellations Result In Lost Job Training Programs

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Arthur Kill Terminal For Offshore Wind Grant Canceled By Trump Administration

Summary: In August 2025, the Trump administration withdrew a $48 million grant to the planned Arthur Kill Terminal in Staten Island, New York. The terminal would have served as a specialized port to assemble and stage offshore wind turbines and towers before they were brought out to sea for installation. The facility was expected to support 750 union jobs during its construction.

BP Sold Site Of Astoria Gateway For Beacon Wind

Summary: In July 2025, Beacon Wind, an affiliate of BP, sold the site of its planned Astoria Gateway for Renewable Energy to New York’s Power Authority. The investment would have created offshore wind and renewable energy job opportunities for youth in underserved communities. Beacon Wind had planned to invest $215 million in the site.

Community Impact

New York’s planned offshore wind investments didn’t only promise reliable, low-cost energy. These offshore wind infrastructure investments were also planned to support job training programs for local communities.

The Arthur Kill Terminal for Offshore Wind was expected to serve as a specialized port to assemble and stage offshore wind turbines and towers before they were brought out to sea for installation. However, the Trump administration withdrew a $48 million grant to the Staten Island terminal in August 2025. The facility was expected to support 750 union jobs during its construction. The Terminal was also expected to support local educational, professional, and workforce training programs at the College of Staten Island and ensure Staten Islanders had the skills needed to secure well-paying jobs at the facility.

The Astoria Gateway for Renewable Energy was expected to connect Beacon Wind to New York’s electric grid and support a Technology and Media Center to provide science and technology education for local youth. However, Beacon Wind sold the site in July 2025. The site was expected to support offshore wind and renewable energy job opportunities for youth in underserved communities. 

Edgecombe County, North Carolina, Lost A Clean Energy Manufacturing  Project That Was Expected To Revitalize The Area

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Natron Energy Shut Down, Canceling Planned Battery Manufacturing Facility

Summary: In September 2025, Natron Energy announced it was shutting down and would no longer open or operate its planned battery manufacturing facility in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. Natron faced troubles due to tariff headwinds and expanded “foreign entity of concern” restrictions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Natron’s manufacturing facility was expected to drive $1.4 billion in investment and support 1,062 jobs. 

Community Impact

Edgecomb County has the third-highest unemployment rate in the state and is suffering from population decline as young people leave to seek better economic opportunities. New clean energy investments are creating good-paying jobs and supporting workforce training programs that can revitalize the community.

Natron Energy announced it planned to open a sodium-ion battery factory in Edgecombe County in August 2024. The factory was expected to create 1,000 local jobs with job training support from Edgecombe Community College. However, Natron Energy announced it was shutting down in September 2025 and no longer moving forward with the facility. Natron faced troubles due to tariff headwinds and expanded “foreign entity of concern” restrictions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Tariffs And Market Challenges Turn Manufacturing Growth In The Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, To Layoffs

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Mack Trucks Laid Off 350 Workers In Macungie Following Trump’s Tariffs And Regulatory Uncertainty

Summary: In April 2025, Mack Trucks announced it would lay off 350 workers at its Macungie, Pennsylvania, manufacturing facility. Mack Trucks blamed the layoffs on market uncertainty, possible regulatory changes, and tariffs, which all slowed heavy-duty truck orders. The workers were represented by the UAW. 

Gardner Cryogenics Laid Off 14 Employees In Upper Macungie Township

Summary: In September 2025, Gardner Cryogenics, a subsidiary of Air Products, announced it would cut 14 jobs at its Upper Macungie Township, Pennsylvania, facility. The facility produced storage tanks used to transport liquid hydrogen globally. A spokesperson for Air Products confirmed the cuts and said that more employees were expected to be impacted by the end of the year. The impacted workers were members of Teamsters Local 773. The union attributed the layoffs to the “country’s shift away from clean energy production with working families forced to pay for political and corporate decisions.” Air Products said the layoffs were caused by a downturn in orders and a lower-than-expected short-term order forecast. 

Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. Grant For Ultra-Cryopump Canceled

Summary: In October 2025, Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. $1.6 million federal grant for developing an ultra-cryopump for high-demand transportation fueling was canceled by the Trump administration. The project was also expected to receive over $400,000 in non-federal funding. 

Community Impact

In April 2025, Mack Trucks announced it would lay off 350 workers at its Macungie, Pennsylvania, manufacturing facility. Mack Trucks blamed the layoffs on market uncertainty, possible regulatory changes, and tariffs, which all slowed heavy-duty truck orders. 

The workers were represented by the UAW. UAW President Shawn Fain criticized the company’s decision to proceed with layoffs as its parent company, Stellantis, considered a $2.6 billion share buyback program. State Representative Josh Siegel said that the “community cannot afford to lose” these good-paying, union jobs. 

The layoffs at the facility reverse previous plans to expand the facility for EV manufacturing. Mack Trucks’ parent company, Volvo, received a $208 million grant funded by the Inflation Reduction Act to convert the manufacturing facility to produce electric trucks at the site. The grant was expected to enable Volvo to retain 7,900 workers at the Macungie facility and a second facility in Virginia.

It’s not just EV manufacturers that are struggling. In September 2025, Gardner Cryogenics, a subsidiary of Air Products, announced it would cut 14 jobs at its Upper Macungie Township, Pennsylvania, facility, where it produced storage tanks for liquid hydrogen. Teamsters Local 773, which represented workers at the facility, attributed the layoffs to the “country’s shift away from clean energy production with working families forced to pay for political and corporate decisions.” And in October 2025, Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. $1.6 million federal grant for developing an ultra-cryopump for high-demand transportation fueling was canceled by the Trump administration. The project was also expected to receive over $400,000 in non-federal funding.

Clean Manufacturing Facilities That Were Poised To Revitalize Sumter County, South Carolina, Were Canceled

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Solar4American Canceled Planned Sumter Manufacturing Facility

Summary: In April 2025, Solar4America canceled plans to open a solar cell manufacturing facility in Sumter, South Carolina. The company had planned to invest $65.9 million to open the facility, which was supposed to employ 300 people. The company’s former vice president of sales said the demand boost from the Inflation Reduction Act was not enough to keep sales from “becoming bumpy.”

Community Impact

Sumter County, South Carolina, is less wealthy and less employed than the state average. The county has also struggled to attract new industries that could help revitalize the area. New clean energy investments were poised to bring new, good-paying jobs to the county, but are no longer planning to set up shop because of the Trump administration’s anti-clean energy policies. 

In April 2025, Solar4America canceled plans to open a solar cell manufacturing facility in Sumter, South Carolina. The company had planned to invest $65.9 million to open the facility, which was supposed to employ 300 people. Local leaders had heralded the company’s decision to invest in Sumter – City of Sumter Mayor David Merchant was “thrilled” about the company’s decision and “enthusiastic about the corporate investment and jobs that will be a result of this project.” The company’s former vice president of sales said the demand boost from the Inflation Reduction Act was not enough to keep sales from “becoming bumpy.” 

Solar Company Closure Caused Hundreds Of Job Losses In Asheville, North Carolina

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Solar Company Blue Ridge Power Laid Off 517 Workers And Planned To End Its Business

Summary: In September 2025, Blue Ridge Power, a solar engineering and procurement company, announced it would lay off 517 workers in Asheville and Fayetteville, North Carolina, as it closed its business. The company is a unit of Pine Gate Renewables and serves as Pine Gate’s engineering, procurement, and construction company. Blue Ridge Power said it would eliminate 348 positions in Fayetteville and 169 in Asheville. The company attributed the closure to “market headwinds similar to those impacting the entire renewable energy industry,” including the repeal of clean energy tax incentives and anti-clean energy federal regulations. Earlier in September 2025, Pine Gate Renewables was consulting its advisers regarding its liquidity challenges caused by the Trump administration’s anti-clean energy policies.

Pine Gate Renewables Filed For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

Summary: In November 2025, Pine Gate Renewables announced it had initiated Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. The Asheville, North Carolina-based renewable energy company planned to sell its assets and operations, including over 30 gigawatts of solar power that the company is currently developing. Pine Gate Renewables laid off 223 employees in Asheville, North Carolina, as part of its bankruptcy proceedings. The bankruptcy filing was linked to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s repeal of clean energy tax credits and the Trump administration’s opposition to the clean energy industry.

Community Impact

Asheville, North Carolina, was devastated by Hurricane Helene in 2025. Now the community, still physically recovering from storm damage, is losing good-paying clean energy jobs because of the Trump administration’s attacks on clean energy.

In September 2025, Blue Ridge Power, a solar engineering and procurement company, announced it would lay off 169 of its workers in Asheville. The company is a unit of Pine Gate Renewables and serves as Pine Gate’s engineering, procurement, and construction company. The company attributed the closure to “market headwinds similar to those impacting the entire renewable energy industry,” including the repeal of clean energy tax incentives and anti-clean energy federal regulations. Earlier in September 2025, Pine Gate Renewables was consulting its advisers regarding its liquidity challenges caused by the Trump administration’s anti-clean energy policies. In November 2025, Pine Gate Renewables announced it had initiated Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. The Asheville, North Carolina-based renewable energy company planned to sell its assets and operations, including over 30 gigawatts of solar power that the company is currently developing. Pine Gate Renewables laid off 223 employees in Asheville, North Carolina, as part of its bankruptcy proceedings. The bankruptcy filing was linked to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s repeal of clean energy tax credits and the Trump administration’s opposition to the clean energy industry.