This Year, Solar Is on the Ballot in Texas
October 24, 2022
By Bret Biggart
Early voting for this year’s election started on Monday. Election Day is Nov. 8.
There are obviously a lot of issues at stake this year. But make no mistake: clean solar energy, Texans’ electricity bills, and Texas’ energy future are very much on the ballot. Voters should support leaders who are helping Texans to be more free and more safe by investing in solar power.
The leaders we’ll elect next month will have critical opportunities to ensure Texans can make solar investments that protect Texas’ grid and slash power bills, which have risen substantially over the past year and helped fuel the inflation pressure we’re all feeling.
The economic benefits of solar power are clear. The market is already booming, and the state has a vital role to play in making sure that others don’t get in the way.
Texas needs leaders who will stand on the side of consumers looking to invest in cheap, clean rooftop solar energy — and make sure costs and delays don’t needlessly slow down the process or eat away at Texans’ investments.
Our state also needs leaders who will sharpen the focus on energy consumers. Solar customers have a vital role to play in fortifying Texas’ power grid. Especially on hot summer days, many solar users generate more electricity than they use, and that surplus often flows back out onto the state’s grid. This added electricity can be crucial when Texans crank up their air conditioners and stretch the state’s power supply.
Voters should support visionary state leaders who will build on Texas’ legacy of energy leadership and innovation — and who will lead the important conversation about how to treat homeowners generating electricity that their fellow Texans need. Some down-ballot races, such as land commissioner and railroad commissioner, are especially important for energy and environmental issues.
Elected officials will have a chance to weigh in on the ongoing redesign of Texas’ energy market. That’s a vital process that will drive billion-dollar decisions across the state that shape Texas’ energy mix and Texans’ energy bills.
Again, solar users have an important role to play in Texas’ 21st century energy mix. And again, the state doesn’t need to do anything to juice an already juiced market. But officials do need to remember that solar users are lessening the load on Texas’ power grid. By protecting building on these benefits, our leaders will help the entire state.
It’s important that folks who take office next year maximize the value that solar is creating for consumers and all of Texas.
It’s even more important that they first do no harm.
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