Texas Senate passes anti-renewable energy legislation

AUSTIN, Texas – The state Senate approved on Wednesday a package of anti-renewable energy bills, including SB 7, which would make wind and solar energy companies pay “ancillary services” fees, SB 6, which would allocate $10 billion to build new natural gas power plants and SB 2012 and SB 2015, which would require renewable energy companies to subsidize the construction of new fossil fuel plants, and SB 1287, which establishes a new transmission fee.

In response, Environment Texas Executive Director Luke Metzger released the following statement:

“These bills are part of a package of legislation that could grind renewable energy development in Texas to a halt. That would mean more air pollution threatening our health and higher electric costs. Any one of these bills alone would hurt renewables, but together they could kneecap the entire industry. We’re counting on the state House to reject these.

“Given that momentum for wind and solar is building, and the technology we need to transition away from polluting fossil fuels is better and cheaper than ever, you would think our state decision-makers would double down on our clean energy programs, and figure out how to take advantage of new federal incentives to deliver more clean renewable energy to our homes. But that’s not the case in the Texas Senate.”