Thereòòò½ÊÓƵ™s a reason Texas is one of the fastest-growing states in the country: our economy can support it. We have the second-highest GDP growth rate in the country, which, considering how big we are, is stunning. Our biggest competitor, if you could even call it that, is California, which comes in 45th for growth.
Our economy is so strong because weòòò½ÊÓƵ™re a great place to do business, and weòòò½ÊÓƵ™re a great place to do business because our government gives us predictability. The state doesnòòò½ÊÓƵ™t constantly meddle and change the rules on businesses. It limits paperwork and red tape. Business taxes are low.
Needless to say, Congress saw something working and decided to fix it.
The massive budget that just passed the House of Representatives abruptly shuts off the 25(D) and 48(E) residential tax credits for people who install rooftop solar and batteries for their homes. These tax credits help all homeowners lower energy costs and stay safe during grid outages while also reducing a massive load from the Texas grid. This new budget is going to put thousands of Texas jobs at risk; bankrupt small businesses; undercut Texasòòò½ÊÓƵ™ efforts to expand our energy supply; put energy affordability out of reach for many; and make blackouts more frequent and costly.
Sen. John Cornyn and Sen. Ted Cruz should stand together, and stand with Texans, to keep Congress from screwing up our economy. They should fight for us to keep these tax credits or at least demand that they are phased out over multiple years, rather than abruptly take them away, so Texas businesses have time to adjust.
Sen. Cornyn and Sen. Cruz would be doing a great service to Texas’ economy by preserving the energy credits. Between manufacturing and installation, nearly 600 solar businesses are booming across Texas. They employ more than 12,000 people, and these are solid, blue-collar, middle-class jobs. According to , the average solar installer in Texas earns over $81,000 a year (including overtime), more than double the state’s income per capita.
Itòòò½ÊÓƵ™s no surprise the pay is so good when the demand is so high (which is why TriSMART Solar, where I serve as CEO, is recruiting). Nearly 300,000 Texas households have rooftop solar, and we anticipate adding over 11,000 more each year for the foreseeable future. So many Texans are using solar for a simple reason: it dramatically reduces the cost of electricity and provides safety for their families when blackouts occur. Homeowners with solar will save tens of thousands of dollars on their energy bills over the life of the system, and homes with solar panels sell faster and for more money than homes without.
The economic impact of Texasòòò½ÊÓƵ™ solar industry, and the 25(D) and 48(E) credits in particular, reverberates beyond just the people who install solar panels and the people who use them. New businesses, Data Centers, Crypto Mining, AI centers, and all the future Texans who work for these organizations are moving here at a rapid pace. The energy demand on our grid over the next five years is going to skyrocket which is another reason so many homeowners are exercising their right to add solar and storage systems to their homes. The more homes that get solar with storage the fewer blackouts we will have during high-demand times like heat waves or after Hurricane Beryl. Blackouts create immense economic damage.
Further, Texas is one of the worldòòò½ÊÓƵ™s foremost energy exporters. In recent years, the fact that Texas has become a solar energy powerhouse has made exporting energy far easier. As solar power now addresses 8% of Texasòòò½ÊÓƵ™ energy needs, we can send more easily exportable energy sources, notably oil and natural gas, overseas. These exports fuel Texasòòò½ÊÓƵ™ largest industryòòò½ÊÓƵ“namely, its energy industryòòò½ÊÓƵ“that in turn drives Texasòòò½ÊÓƵ™ booming economy.
Iòòò½ÊÓƵ™m proud to be a Texan. Our state works. Our leaders are disciplined enough to not meddle and change the rules on business owners whenever the wind shifts. For the sake of my business, my employees, and, most importantly, our stateòòò½ÊÓƵ™s economy, I hope Sen. Cornyn and Sen. Cruz can instill a little Texas-style discipline in Congress.
Solar is working in Texas. Itòòò½ÊÓƵ™s working because the rules are simple and predictable. Letòòò½ÊÓƵ™s keep it that way.
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