When it comes to renewable energy in the United States, Texas is overtaking other states as it invests in rapidly expanding its green energy capacity. While it continues to support oil and gas operations, Texas has also focused on developing its wind and solar energy capacity in recent years. The Lone Star State has become an energy powerhouse in the U.S., a reputation that it will likely continue to hold in the coming decades.
Breaking Solar, Wind, and Battery Storage Records
In the Spring, Texas broke several renewable energy production records as it saw the fruits of heavy investment in the sector in recent years. In the first week of March, the ERCOT power grid, which supplies electricity to most of the state, set records for the most wind production at 28.5 gigawatts, most solar production at 24.8 GW, and greatest battery discharge at 4.8 GW.
Over the last four years, Texas has added more new power to the grid than any other U.S. state, and over 90% of it has been wind, solar, and battery storage. Solar and battery additions between March 2024 and 2025 averaged around 1 GW a month, according to ERCOT data, and last year, Texas generated nearly twice as much wind and solar electricity as California.
Texas’s battery capacity growth in recent years has been immense, with an increase from a grid supply of just 766 MW two years ago. On March 2, renewables collectively met a record 76% of ERCOT demand, as Texas experienced optimal weather conditions for energy generation. These records suggest that ERCOT has plans for a greener future.
An Energy Security Boost
While Texas still relies on fossil fuels for power and heating, the growth in its renewable energy has added a much-needed boost to the state’s electricity supply. Texas has faced freezing winters and extremely hot summers in recent years, with severe weather having, at times, caused widespread power outages. The most famous case in recent years was during the 2021 Winter Storm Uri, when millions were left without electricity.
Having a more diverse energy supply provides greater energy security. When traditional power plants fail to deliver electricity, due to frozen pipes, higher-than-normal demand, or other factors, renewable energy supported by battery storage can be a savior. Wind and solar farms can continue to deliver power to the people when conventional plants cannot, filling the gap until they come back online.
Bipartisan Support for Renewables
Texas is well known as a red state, having shown overwhelmingly strong support for the Republican Party in recent decades. However, while the Trump administration may not be strongly in favor of many forms of renewable energy, it seems that many Texan Republicans are.
Texas has long backed oil and gas projects, which have helped grow the state’s economy for several decades and are viewed as key industries for long-term revenue and jobs. However, with support from the Biden administration’s financial incentives, Texas has also rapidly developed its renewable energy capacity in recent years to become an all-around energy powerhouse.
According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), Texas is the top crude oil- and natural gas-producing state in the nation, contributing 43% of U.S. crude and 27% of its natural gas gross withdrawals in 2023. That same year, Texas led the nation in wind-powered electricity generation, accounting for 28% of all U.S. wind-sourced electricity.
However, since President Donald Trump came into power, he has threatened to halt renewable energy growth, with several bills going through the Texas legislature that could reverse its position as a green energy powerhouse. In his first few months in office, Trump has called wind turbines “ugly” and “disgusting”, and banned major clean energy projects on federal lands and waters.
Three state bills went through the Texas legislature in June that could have significantly restricted any new wind or solar installations if passed, causing an estimated 15% of Texas’s wind fleet to shutter. The legislature did not approve these bills, but they could be back on the table in 2027, posing a looming threat to the industry.
One bill that has already passed – SB819 – demands that the “police power of the state” drastically limit new wind and solar projects by requiring permits that are not needed for gas, coal, or nuclear plants. This means that any new wind turbine must be 3,000 feet from a neighbor’s property line, compared to just 467 feet for an oil well.
A recent poll showed that most Republican voters in Texas oppose moves to quash the state’s renewable energy progress. New renewable energy projects have helped to create jobs and generate revenue in rural, non-typical energy-producing areas of the state. Meanwhile, others have successfully invested in private solar and wind equipment to support their businesses and drive down energy prices.
Joshua Rhodes, an energy expert at the University of Texas, stated, “We are still firmly an oil and gas state and producing more than we ever have, but that’s not the full picture.” Rhodes added, “We produce and consume more energy than any other state, we have more wind than the next four states combined and regularly have more than 50% of our grid running on renewables. We are an energy state.”
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