Existing and under-development utility-scale solar, wind, and battery energy storage projects are expected to generate a boom of economic benefits for the state of Texas.
Over the lifetime of the state’s renewables projects, Texas landowners are expected to collect $29.5 billion in lease payments, and Texas counties are expected to generate $20 billion in tax revenue, according to data from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) Conservative Texans for Energy Innovation (CTEI), Advanced Power Alliance (APA), and the Texas Solar + Storage Association (TSSA). The analysis is found in a report “The Economic Impact of Renewable Energy and Energy Storage Investments Across Texas.”
“This report helps explain why polls show the vast majority of Texans support solar energy development, think solar is good for the economy, and believe that landowners should be able to do what they want with their land,” said Daniel Giese, Texas state director for SEIA. “The solar and storage industry is continuing Texas’ legacy as an energy leader.”
The report led to the generation of an interactive map that outlines how much renewable energy is being built and how much tax revenue and landowner revenue can be expected from the associated projects.
“Landowners who exercise their private property rights by hosting solar and storage projects are receiving stable, reliable, multigenerational income for their families,” said Mark Stover, executive director, Texas Solar + Storage Association. “And, project communities are enjoying new tax revenue for schools, infrastructure, and services.”
Local voices
SEIA highlighted comments made by Texas residents and landowners:
- Michael Looney, the VP of Economic Development at San Angelo Chamber of Commerce and volunteer fireman: “The western part of the county is challenging, even for grazing, given the lack of water, trees, and how rocky the terrain is. However, we have three massive solar farms that have been able to make it work.”
- Dr. Michael Davis, former Superintendent for Cushing ISD in neighboring Nacogdoches County and now a school finance specialist with the Region 7 Education Service Center, applauded the growth of renewables in East Texas. “It’s great to see these types of projects coming to our region,” he said. “For smaller, rural schools, the added revenue can make a significant difference –especially for funding enrichment and construction projects that might otherwise be out of reach.”
- Allen Gully, who farms over 3,000 acres on the edge of San Angelo, the county seat of Tom Green County, was proactive in getting a 160 MW solar farm set up on 620 acres including two of his neighbors. He said… “[t]he truth is that the sheep that graze on the grass that grows under the solar panels are more agriculturally productive than the dryland cotton I used to run on it!”
Over 75% of Texas counties are expected to receive tax revenues from either wind, solar, or energy storage projects. Find out if your county is expected to benefit here.
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