Austin News

Green energy companies have spent more than $71 million to lobby Texas legislators since 2015, according to a recent study by Transparency USA based on Texas Ethics Commission reports.

For example, communications conglomerate AT&T, a company not known for energy production but does purchase green energy, has spent more than $12 million since 2015 to lobby for renewable energy in Texas, the study states.

Despite the lobbying, Texas lawmakers are attempting to pass legislation, notably Senate Bill 1278, which would ensure energy companies deliver efficient and reliable production of energy at competitive prices.

“Beyond the weather, environmental policies that have been pushing renewable energy across the country and in Texas for a long time are largely keeping the Texas grid from providing reliable power,” Bill Peacock, policy director at Energy Alliance, previously told Lone Star Standard.

The Houston Republic reports that one of the many issues that caused the February blizzard crisis was the freezing of wind turbines, making the future of renewable power largely insecure. Wind power, however, provides less than a quarter of Texas' energy needs, the Texas Comptroller reports. Common solar cell panels only operate at a 22% efficiency rate, according to You Matter.

“What's contributing is that we're relying on wind and the turbines are frozen as well as that we're relying on solar and there's no sun shining,” Peacock said. “We could have a reliable natural gas backup in place but we don't. All three of those are related to the renewable energy policies in Texas and in the United States.”

In response, renewable sources of energy were cut dramatically, with many challenging the reliability of solar and wind energy plants after February's winter storm.

In addition, the state Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 3, which calls for similar measures in the House bills, including mandated plant preparation and a reconstruction of the electric infrastructure of Texas.