Texas just dodged a bullet that could have hobbled its booming renewable energy industry. After months of heated debate, state lawmakers refused to pass bills that would have made it much harder and more expensive to build wind and solar farms across the Lone Star State. But there’s another threat looming in Washington that could raise Texans’ power bills and increase the risk of blackouts.
One failed Texas bill would have required every wind and solar farm to have backup power from batteries or natural gas plants, a requirement so costly it could have forced many renewable energy operations to shut down. Other proposed laws would have banned offshore wind projects and essentially capped how quickly renewable energy could grow in the state.
Texas business leaders and rural communities pushed back against anti-energy lawmakers. The renewable energy industry has brought vital jobs and investments to rural areas, while manufacturers, the state’s chamber of commerce, and even oil and gas companies opposed the bills. As Judd Messer from the Advanced Power Alliance put it, “Clean energy has become such a political flashpoint that a small band of lawmakers are willing to abandon the very principles they typically champion,” including limited government, free markets, and private property rights that normally define Texas conservative values.
The economic benefits are undeniable. Wind and solar energy help keep electricity costs down for everyday Texans while making the power grid more reliable as demand continues to surge. Rural landowners have found new income streams by leasing their property for wind and solar projects, providing economic opportunities that complement traditional farming and ranching.
Now all eyes turn to Congress, where legislation could eliminate the tax credits that have helped fuel the state’s renewable energy boom. Texas stands to lose the most if these incentives disappear, with analysts predicting the closure of 51 solar and energy storage factories and the loss of more than 34,000 jobs. The state could also miss out on $50 billion in solar investment over the next decade.
The irony is hard to miss. Texas leads the nation in wind power generation and has built a thriving renewable energy economy, yet political leaders keep trying to slow it down. Will economic reality continue to win out over political ideology, or will federal action succeed where state efforts failed?
Read the full story here: Renewable energy survived attacks from Texas lawmakers. Its future now depends on Trump’s big bill
