Location: Texas

Voters in California and Texas both overwhelmingly agree that their states should be doing more to encourage solar power; voters see clear benefits of solar power for grid reliability, the economy, and costs. In California: Solar power – 85% agree that their utility should be using more; Wind power – 78%; Offshore wind power – 72%; Natural gas power – 57%; Nuclear power – 52%. In Texas: Solar power – 73% agree that their utility should be using more; Wind power – 69%; Natural gas power – 67%; Nuclear power – 50%; Coal power – 40%. Accordingly, large majorities in both California (85%) and Texas (71%) agree that their state’s policymakers should be doing more to encourage the use of solar power. In both states, there is a potent argument that solar can help to make an outdated electric grid more resilient and reliable.

The clean energy boom continues across the U.S. In the almost two years since the clean energy plan was signed into law on August 16, 2022, companies have announced or advanced 646 new clean energy projects, creating 334,565 new jobs and driving $372 billion in new investments across 47 states and Puerto Rico. Plans include 183 new battery manufacturing sites, 155 new or expanded electric vehicle manufacturing facilities, and 185 solar and wind manufacturing plants. The majority of projects are in five states — Michigan, Texas, Georgia, California, and South Carolina. A bulk of the new clean energy projects are located in congressional districts represented by Republican members of the House of Representatives – totaling 190,727 new jobs and over $286 billion in investment across 354 clean energy projects in 150 Republican-held districts. In low-income communities, 290 new clean energy projects have been announced since the passage of the clean energy plan, bringing $114 billion in investment and 134,385 jobs to low-income communities across 38 states.

Workers in clean energy in Texas experience difficult labor conditions. This research finds that many workers across sectors in Texas face dangerous and even deadly working conditions; lack access to benefits like health insurance, workers’ compensation, and retirement plans such as a pension or 401(k); and have experienced pervasive income, wealth, race, and gender inequality. This field study examines the conditions of 1,224 individuals working in utility-scale solar, wind and clean energy manufacturing. Texas has emerged as a national leader in wind production and solar energy installation, with renewable energy accounting for 86% of the state’s planned energy generation through 2030. This growth is in part due to unprecedented funding provided by historic federal climate investments such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

This newsletter, we hear from Kyle Crider, Program and Policy Director at Alabama Interfaith Power & Light and The People’s Justice Council. These organizations bring together faith based communities to organize for “environmental justice, energy conservation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy from a faith perspective.”
The People’s Justice Council was a 2023- 24 Climate Justice Micogrant. They are featuring their Resilience to Restoration toolkit showcasing the powerful work and lessons learned across faith communities in the South!

We are excited to share with you all the work of Amanecer People’s Project, the first of our 2024 Climate Justice Micrograntees to be profiled this year. Based in El Paso, TX, Amanecer works to build community power in support of policies that “prioritize our health, environmental integrity, racial and economic equity, restore democratic power, and work towards destabilizing the systems of power that produce climate injustice.”