Will Trump put alternative energy on a level-playing field?

Minimal impact on alternative energy

Donald Trump's election as US President last November created uncertainty for alternative energy investors due to his anti-environmental, pro-coal stance, writes Guinness Asset Management analyst Samira Rüdig-Sotomayor.

The main alternative energy policies at risk are the Investment and Production Tax Credits, as well as the Clean Power Plan (CPP). The tax credits were extended in the Omnibus Spending Bill in 2015, which had bipartisan support in Congress. The Republican support for these measures could make removing the subsidies challenging.  These tax credits already have a phase-out schedule in place until they are fully removed between 2019 and 2022. Trump may therefore choose to expend his political capital elsewhere.  The CPP supports the US alternative energy sector in the 2020s, but has a...