Bill Gates-Founded Clean Energy Group Reportedly Slashes Workforce

A climate group started by billionaire and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is reportedly slashing some of its workforce in part due to Republicans winning back power.

The green energy group, Breakthrough Energy, has laid off multiple workers and is also planning to eliminate its U.S. policy side, an anonymous source told Politico’s E&E News. Another anonymous source told the outlet that Breakthrough Energy’s policy team’s last day of work would be Friday.

Several staffers on Breakthrough Energy’s philanthropic side were also laid off, one anonymous source told the outlet. Relatedly, The New York Times reported Wednesday that “dozens” of Breakthrough Energy staffers were laid off, including the group’s entire U.S.-based team working on policy issues, most of its employees working on partnerships with other climate organizations, as well as its European unit.

​​Gates’ decision to slash Breakthrough Energy’s U.S. policy team was in part caused by him anticipating that the team was unlikely to have a significant impact in Washington, D.C. following the Republican Party’s victories in November, winning control of the White House and both chambers of Congress, anonymous sources told the NYT.

“Bill Gates remains as committed as ever to advancing the clean energy innovations needed to address climate change,” a spokesperson for Gates told the NYT in a statement when asked about the cuts. “His work in this area will continue and is focused on helping drive reliable affordable, clean energy solutions that will enable people everywhere to thrive.”

In February, Breakthrough Energy told its partners that it would slash its climate grantmaking budget this year, Heatmap News reported.

Breakthrough Energy was founded by Gates in 2015, and the group aims to “inspire the world to develop and scale the critical solutions we need to reach net-zero emissions—so everyone can enjoy affordable, abundant clean energy,” according to its website. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: GOP Rep Unveils Bill To Block Future Presidents From Launching An ‘Assault On Domestic Energy’)

(Photo by Justin Tallis – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Notably, Gates has backed various clean energy initiatives over the past several years, including investing in green energy startups and climate change research.

President Donald Trump has been overseeing a sweeping effort to revitalize America’s energy sector and “unleash” American energy as part of his broader “energy dominance” agenda. While on the campaign trail, Trump vowed to overturn various green energy policies and regulations put into place by the previous presidential administration.

Breakthrough Energy did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.

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