With Texas facing soaring electricity demand, the politics of energy quietly shift at the Capitol

[SARose]

BY KAYLA GUO
MARCH 6, 2025

Four years ago, after all electricity sources struggled to keep Texans’ lights on during Winter Storm Uri, the state’s top Republican leaders singled out solar and wind energy for scorn as they worked to goose natural gas-powered generation.

After decades of growth in solar and wind put Texas among the nation’s top producers of renewable energy, the state’s leaders turned against renewables as they began to compete more fiercely with coal and gas-fueled power.

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Texas increased its energy supply by 35% over the last four years, Abbott said in his State of the State address in February. A whopping 92% of that new supply, according to energy consultant Doug Lewin, came from solar, wind and battery storage.

Texas added more battery storage capacity than any other state last year, and, excluding California, now has more battery capacity than the rest of the country combined. The state installed around 9,700 megawatts of new solar generation last year and 1,735 megawatts of wind power, according to a January report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Solar power and battery storage set records last summer, providing nearly 25% of electricity needs in the middle of the day, according to the Dallas Fed’s report.

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And, yet, more bills filed this legislative session to prioritize natural gas and nuclear power.

Crypto mining takes a vast majority of electricity needs in this State. Abbott is pushing for more and more.

[txwhitedove]

1. And they need to work on advising citizens how to NOT be greedy consumers.

Last edited Thu Mar 6, 2025, 05:53 PM - Edit history (1)

[SARose]

2. Lmao

Ahh yes all of us greedy unwashed folks! The nerve to expect warm homes during the winter and ac in the hell that is summer.

🙄

[txwhitedove]

3. No need for rude reply. Many people ignore energy saving appliances, as well as recommended

saving temperature guidelines, and think more plug-ins the better. As a climate realist, I believe consumers need to be more conscientious themselves.