Overview

• On a Houston stop of his book tour, McKibben said solar has crossed an “invisible line” to become the cheapest, fastest-growing energy source and warned the transition must accelerate to avert severe climate damage.
• Texas solar capacity climbed from about 7.5 gigawatts to nearly 45 gigawatts in five years, supplied roughly 10% of the state’s electricity in 2024, and now leads the nation in utility-scale solar and big battery buildouts.
• The Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie reported a sharp second-quarter slowdown in Texas solar development after state-level efforts to curb renewables shook developer confidence, even though none became law.
• Industry officials say Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” ends consumer clean-energy tax credits by December and will soon end support for large projects, with SEIA estimating Texas could see 12 gigawatts fewer installations by 2030.
• Energy Secretary Chris Wright has downplayed climate risks and pointed to limits of electrification, while McKibben argued rapid buildouts of solar, wind, and storage—alongside electrifying vehicles and appliances—can greatly cut fossil fuel use.