BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – The Texas Senate passed a bill last week that would require half of new power plants energy capacity to come from changeable resources other than batteries. This would also mean that energy sources like solar and wind power would be charged to comply with the bill.

Matthew Boms, executive director of the Texas Advanced Energy Business Alliance, told KBTX the legislation would punish renewable resources like wind and solar power.

“Over the last four years since winter storm Uri, over 90% of new generation has actually come from renewable generation and investing has been great for buildings and taxes. It’s been keeping prices affordable and keeping the grid reliable,” he explained.

While fossil fuel is the biggest resource for electricity in the nation, Texas has a growing renewable energy market, even bigger than California. According to Boms, the bill would devastate that market and the millions of Texans who expect reliable electricity from the grid.

“It would have huge consequences that would impose fees on renewable generation in Texas,” said Boms. “This kind of legislation is putting [our solar and wind energy] at risk really for no apparent reason other than punishing reliable, affordable electricity.”

Boms said the market is always heading in the direction of what is cheapest. For Texas, that’s been solar, wind, and batteries.

“These kind of bills are cumbersome, anti-business regulations that are antithetical to the free market that we’re so proud of here in Texas,” Boms added. “So, why the legislature would want to block the development of new solar, wind, and battery projects? I don’t know, and it presents a massive threat to the reliability of the Texas grid.”

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