Texas renewable energy developers hope to see new statewide rules for where and how projects are built.

A new report from Environment Texas Research and Policy Center said Texas needs to keep expanding wind, solar and battery storage while also protecting wildlife, water, air and land.

Luke Metzger, executive director of the center, said the state has become a clean energy powerhouse but still fights an uphill battle against conservative lawmakers, fossil fuel advocates and donor-backed think tanks.

Image

"As Texas has become the national leader in wind and solar and increasingly batteries, and the boom is getting bigger and bigger, we're starting to see some pushback on that development," Metzger observed.

The report comes as advocates look to work with the legislature on a siting policy for such projects. Its authors recommended a clear set of rules, science-based regulations and protections for land, wildlife and landowners’ rights.

Political observers said there has been an ideological shift among GOP state lawmakers, with rural elected officials backing solar and wind while suburban conservatives prioritize natural gas.

Metzger noted to counter the opposition's concerns, renewable energy backers have proposed regulations including slowing or stopping wind turbines during high-risk periods for birds, using ultrasonic bat deterrents and combining solar panels with farming or grazing.

"We plan to continue to meet with legislative offices and urge them not to take the path just basically banning or crippling renewable energy development but instead finding a different path that allows clean energy to continue to grow," Metzger explained.

Metzger, a co-author of the report, pointed out it recommended a tiered review process, with closer scrutiny for sensitive sites and faster approval for projects on previously disturbed land. Metzger argued state rules should allow local governments to regulate renewable energy but not use restrictions to effectively ban it.