CICE’s Diaz Appointed to Governor's Arizona Energy Promise Taskforce
Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE) is pleased to announce that Colin Diaz, Western Regional Director, has been appointed to serve on the Arizona Energy Promise Taskforce, established by Governor Katie Hobbs through Executive Order 2025-13.
The Taskforce will develop plans to facilitate large-scale energy growth while preventing significant increases in Arizonans' energy costs. It will also work to expand Arizona's clean energy economy and identify opportunities to streamline processes to site and develop energy infrastructure projects.
Diaz will be serving on the Generation & Transmission working group for the Taskforce. The appointment comes at a critical moment as Arizona utilities are projecting significant energy needs over the next 15 years, with some estimating a 40% increase in peak demand.
"This is an exciting opportunity to bring the chamber and business community perspective to important conversations about Arizona's energy future," said Diaz. "I look forward to working with the Taskforce to help ensure Arizona families and businesses have access to affordable, reliable energy while supporting economic growth across the state."
Colin Diaz joined CICE in 2025 as Western Regional Director. In this role, Colin is responsible for outreach to chambers of commerce and economic development organizations (EDOs) across Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. Diaz provides support positioning chambers and EDOs to be thought leaders in their communities on the economic and business benefits of clean energy.
Colin brings more than 15 years of chamber leadership experience, with a strong track record in public policy advocacy, strategic partnerships, and community-based economic development. Prior to joining CICE, he served as President & CEO of multiple chambers of commerce, helping guide organizations through strategic transformations and sustainable growth initiatives.
Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE) Statement on Proposed Rollback of Clean Energy Tax Credits
May 22, 2025 – The House’s proposed reconciliation package, passed this morning by a one-vote margin, represents a dangerous retreat from pro-growth energy policy, targeting vital clean energy tax credits and putting American jobs, businesses, and energy security at risk.
The legislation effectively ends the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)’s most effective clean energy incentives, including the critical technology-neutral 45Y and 48E production and investment tax credits and the 45X manufacturing tax credit. 45Y and 48E in particular have been central to the record-breaking deployment of technologies from nuclear and geothermal to wind, solar, and battery storage. They have also helped attract hundreds of billions in private investment, supported hundreds of thousands of high-paying American jobs, and strengthened domestic manufacturing across the clean energy supply chain.
The rollback comes at a time of unprecedented growth in energy demand, driven by a resurgence in U.S. manufacturing and advances in artificial intelligence—two sectors critical to American competitiveness and national security. Importantly, 45Y and 48E, which cover nuclear and geothermal in addition to solar, wind, and energy storage, have been in place in various forms since the late 1970s and were reauthorized every four years with bipartisan support, until the IRA extended them to ten years.
“This bill undermines the very policies that are delivering economic growth in communities across the country,” said Ryan Evans, Executive Director of CICE. “Clean energy tax credits are fueling job creation, expanding manufacturing, and lowering energy costs. Weakening them now would jeopardize ongoing economic development and drive investment and innovation overseas.”
The U.S. clean energy sector is growing twice as fast as the overall economy, revitalizing American manufacturing, attracting billions in private capital, and building resilient supply chains. A recent study endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce found that the IRA is on track to drive $1.9 trillion in private capital investment and create 13.7 million jobs by 2035.
Cutting these proven incentives at such a pivotal moment would slow economic momentum and undercut U.S. leadership in an increasingly competitive global market. Long-term policy certainty is critical to keeping the clean energy economy working for American businesses and communities.
The proposed bill undermines business growth and energy security by:
Imposing sweeping cuts to proven clean energy tax credits, threatening growth and stability.
The House bill ends the 45Y and 48E investment and production tax credits for all generation technologies except nuclear by the end of 2025, despite their demonstrated return on investment and critical role in meeting surging energy demand.
It phases out the 45X clean energy manufacturing tax credit, which has created hundreds of thousands of American manufacturing jobs, by 2031.
As of Q1 2025, 16 projects totaling $8 billion have already been canceled or reduced in scope due to market uncertainty. An estimated $388 billion in pending investments are now at risk.
Canceling these projects would reduce domestic manufacturing opportunities, job creation, and training, especially in rural communities, and direct capital investment from the private sector.
Eliminating credit transferability for clean energy supply chain manufacturing projects (45X), cutting off capital for small businesses and project development.
The IRA allows clean energy developers to transfer (sell) tax credits—a critical mechanism for businesses and startups with low or no tax liability.
Transferability has broadened market participation and led to increased investment: in 2024 alone, the transferability market unlocked $21-24 billion in investment.
Eliminating credit transferability for clean energy supply chain manufacturing would stall project development, especially in rural areas and among small and medium-sized businesses that rely on this tool to finance construction.
Creating uncertainty with vague Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) rules.
The bill rightly seeks to limit adversarial foreign governments from participating in tax credit-eligible projects. However, it fails to define “material assistance,” leaving developers uncertain and unable to move forward with procurement planning.
Without clarity, the FEOC rules risk triggering regulatory delays and legal uncertainty. Clear rules are essential to avoid years-long disruptions in project timelines.
Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE) is a nationwide network of chambers of commerce and economic development organizations advancing the clean energy economy. CICE supports and amplifies the voice of economic leaders and builds the business case for clean energy and sustainability as drivers of economic growth.