Heartland Blog

“Protectionism.” “Tariffs.” There are few words that so powerfully conjure up regressive economics and policy, with visions of 1920s isolationism and its fallout at the end of that decade. Concerns about such a regression produced a furor over the Trump administration’s recent decision to impose tariffs on solar cells, with critics concerned not only about the policy’s possible economic effects but also about how the tariffs would slow the country’s necessary move to renewable energy. However, heeding these critics would not only worsen the United States’ transition to a clean economy but threaten the bedrock principles of fair trade that have united leaders from Barack Obama to Ronald Reaga

As the price of renewable energy drops, more cities are cutting the cord with fossil fuel-based electricity. A new report released Tuesday by the environmental group CDP finds that more than 100 cities worldwide now get the majority of their power—70 percent or more—from renewables. That's up from 42 in 2015, when countries pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the Paris climate agreement. CDP notes that more than 40 of those cities are now powered entirely by renewables, including Burlington, Vermont, which gets its electricity from a combination of wind, solar, hydro and biomass. Burlington will have more company within the next 20 years—58 U.S. cities, including Atlanta and San Diego

The uncertainty surrounding tax reform kept many U.S. renewables investors in “wait-and-see” mode throughout 2017. Those brave enough to push forward despite the political backdrop did so vigilantly, with many expending additional financial and legal resources to keep their options open. Each legislative turn drove new scenarios and document drafts. Without a confirmed corporate tax rate or tax reform timeline until nine days before the new year, project capital stacks remained opaque, delaying many project finance, and mergers and acquisition (M&A) processes. That said, thanks to lobbyist efforts, the final bill was a noticeable improvement since the U.S. House first proposed numerous indus

BUFFALO, NY – HIT subsidiary Building America CDE, Inc. was joined by the Northland Central project sponsor, Buffalo Urban Development Corporation; Western NY AFL-CIO President Richard Lipsitz, Jr.; New York Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul; Rep. Brian Higgins (NY-26); HIT Vice Chairman Jack Quinn, Jr.; and other partners in making the announcement of financing for redevelopment of Northland Central in Buffalo, New York. The Northland Workforce Training Center, located at 683 Northland Avenue in Buffalo, will reuse part of a historic vacant industrial complex and serve as an anchor for the broader Northland Central project. Approximately 93,000 square feet of the 240,000-square-foot building wil

On Monday, March 12th from 10:00 am - 2:30 pm, labor, business and community leaders from across Ohio will converge in Cleveland to chart a path toward a high-paying, high-quality, and highly-competitive manufacturing sector in the state. The one-day summit, featuring a keynote address by U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), will focus on viable strategies to restore manufacturing as an avenue to the middle class for Ohioians — particularly young people, the un- and underemployed, and communities of color. Speakers and attendees will discuss efforts already underway, as well as ideas yet to be implemented, to ensure that manufacturing in Ohio once again provides quality careers, fuels shared p