Politically speaking, Texas occupies an unusual position in the US energy transition. The statehouse is dominated by Republican officials who are determined to follow the White House lead on energy policy. However, the state’s deeply rooted freestyle economic policy keeps getting in the way.
In recent years some Republican lawmakers have tried to place new hurdles in the way of solar power plants and wind farms, but those efforts have largely failed. As a result, Texas still carries the title of #1 wind power among all 50 states. The state is also vying with California and Florida for the #1 spot in solar power.
In the latest development, the North America branch of the global energy firm Enel has just announced the official start of operations at its GulfStar solar power plant with energy storage. Located in Wharton County, Texas, the 556-megawatt (dc) facility is Enel’s largest power plant to date in the US, and the biggest of its facilities to make room for sheep grazing, too.
Driving through Texas years ago, I saw enormous fields of wind turbunes, across the horizon, with oil derecks and cows sharing the space under them, smack the middle of nowhere.
That may be the most ‘West Texas’ thing I’ve ever seen.
This has the same energy. Goats under solar panels? Hell yes. You’ll see shade crops and oil derecks and who knows what else sharing the space before long. These folks do not care about Republican virtue signaling, they want to work their land.